Dear me,
I'm sure you've probably clicked on plenty of these articles as you have scrolled through Facebook these past months. You certainly have a lot of extra time because your school schedule is much less rigorous than any high school year that came before it. But I have one request when it comes to free time: stop going on social media and actually do things. Hang out with your best friend of 12 years, your cousin, or even the girl who sits next to you in AP Lang.
When they say that you may never see these people again after graduation they are right. I didn't really believe that and in turn that means you do not either. I have come home for winter break and spent the month I thought would be dedicated to meeting up with old friends catching up on sleep and eating leftovers. That's not to say that you are the one to blame for not seeing these people during your senior year--I am also at fault. I could have and likely should have made plans with them when I got home. But that's for another open letter.
As cliche as this is going to sound you need to attend everything. And by everything, I mean everything. Any event that is thrown at you, whether your friends are going or not, you should make an effort to be at. Even though you might feel like you're in a sea of strangers when you go somewhere without a friendly face, you'll be surprised when you realize you were dead wrong while sitting in a lecture hall with 40 strangers (and, yes, you do choose the small school). This feeling of absolute comfort you have right now is fleeting. Once you graduate and pack up the car to head to college you will not have this feeling until a time that is yet to be determined (I'm a semester and a half in and still asking people what their names are).
Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. You're going to need some time to yourself during your senior year of high school. There are going to be rough patches and it is okay to engage in some self-care to make it through. You do not have to be doing something every second of every day because you feel like you are missing out. Not only does this thought apply to your senior year of high school, but your first semester as college. You need you time and only you can give you that. (Now I sound like Dr. Seuss.)
The seniorits is real, I know, I went through it. And I made it out the other side! And you can too, just push through the last batch of AP tests, enjoy Prom, and love your friends. Because in just a couple short months your world will be turned upside down (in a good way of course).
I know you can do it, because I've done it.
Love,
Yourself
