Dear upcoming high school seniors,
I know this letter has been written a thousand times. I've read letters like these a thousand times, but I felt the need to write my own – just to give you my own personal insight about your last year in high school. Some of you may be rejoicing because you're finally going to leave the place you grew up in after this year. Some of you are also grieving because you're going to leave your family, friends, and hometown for the first time ever. Whether you're happy, sad, excited, nervous... I've been there. I've been in your shoes and I've felt all these emotions that you will inevitably feel in the upcoming months. Here is some of my advice that I may or may not have followed while I was in your shoes (but you should all consider it)!
1. Go to everything.
Some of you may think it's lame and some of you can't wait for the events you have coming up. But trust me – go to everything. Go to prom. Go to all the Friday night football games. Go to graduation. This is the last year you have going to events with all the people you grew up with. You are always going to remember your senior year prom. You will always remember all the nights you spent cheering your team on, because for some of you this may be the last time you cheer on your school's team. Go to every event and enjoy every moment, because these will be the memories you cherish when you look back on high school.
2. Never say "No" to going out.
Never ever EVER say no to going out! This upcoming year is the last time you have with all your friends before you go off to different schools so make the most of it. A lot of people change when they go off to college so who knows if you'll still be friends when you come back after your first year away from each other. Believe me – no one is going to remember the nights they spent cuddled up in bed watching Netflix, but you will remember all the good times you and your friends shared. We have the rest of our lives to watch Netflix, you don't have the rest of your life to go out and have fun with your high school friends.
3. Let go of grudges.
Seriously, forgive that girl who stole your "boyfriend" freshman year. Stop hating your ex-best friend for no reason. People came into your life and left throughout the last four years, but it's truly a waste to spend time hating them. Your last year of high school should be fun and carefree, not miserable. Man up and apologize, swallow your pride and accept other people's apologies. And you don't have to be best friends with these people, it's just so much better living life without any grudges rather than having underlying hate for people.
4. Make the most of your summer before college.
Go to senior week, go to a music festival, go to amusement parks, go to waterparks, do everything. The summer before college is the real last time you have with your squad before things change. And believe me, things will change once you go away to school. The summer before college was one of the best summers of my life and I'll never forget it. Adventure with your friends and make memories you'll never forget – they'll be memories that last a lifetime.
5. Take it all in.
One minute you'll be counting down the minutes in your math class and the next minute you'll be walking down the aisle with your diploma. It seriously all happens so fast you won't even know it's happening until it's over. Senior year of high school was the fastest year of my life and one of the best years of my life. Take time with your goodbyes – it may be the last time you see some of these people. Take time in your classes it may be the last time you ever walk the halls of your high school.
Whether high school was the best four years of your life or the worst four years, graduating is sentimental. It's a time to rejoice and celebrate the next chapter of your life, but also a time to look back on the last four years and everything you've accomplished. You will be leaving your hometown and it is scary to be in a new place, but exciting at the same time. You will be leaving your childhood friends and you'll have to make new ones all over again, but you will find some of your best friends in college. To those friends you wish to keep – tell them and show them. You will change once you go away and so will your friends. Senior year is the last time everything remains somewhat the same. So make the most of it and do not wish your life away – it will be over in the blink of an eye!
