First things first, congratulations. You've made it to the beginning of your last semester of high school. It's a pretty big deal. For twelve plus years you've gotten up before 7:30 in the morning, eaten lunch at a specific time, and crammed way too much into a backpack. Those days are almost over my friends, except for maybe that whole overstuffing the backpack thing.
So here are a few words of much recently earned post-high school graduation "wisdom." It's all too easy to brush off what someone who was in high school twenty-five years ago has to say, so here is some real talk from a class of 2017 graduate.
Enjoy it, embrace it, and use it to your advantage.
"Enjoy it" is one of those phrases that when involving high school makes you want to ram your head through a wall, trust me, I know. It is true though, as much as it pains me to admit it. College and any other post-high school reality really are very different from high school.
So enjoy those lunches with your best friends since the first grade. Enjoy the announcements over the intercom, even when they take too long. Enjoy the late afternoons with your yearbook staff or sports team. One day very soon none of these things will be in your life and you realize that they were a part of who you are.
Embrace being a senior. It is freaking awesome. You get to leave for lunch any many places, sometimes you only have half a day of classes, and the freshmen are scared of you. Embrace it and use it, my friends. There truly is nothing like being the ones to rule the hallway and leave first at a pep rally. You only do this once (hopefully) and reaping the benefits is part of the reward for all those late nights and early mornings.
Listen and love your teachers, family, and friends.
We all have that one teacher who gives a life advice speech at least once a week. Listen to them, they know what they are talking about. Not only have they experienced college, but they have taught you and kids like you. So listen the next time they tell you about the woes of rooming with a friend, that one a** of a professor we will all have, or about the nerd side of Sonic. And show them some love. Whether they have been with you for years or only a few months they care about you and want to see you succeed. A little love goes a long way.
The same goes for your friends and family. In a few short months, you will be heading to college, working full time, or even moving thousands of miles away from them. Eat every home cooked meal you can and spend as much time with your best friends as possible. Watch a movie with your mom.
Take your little sibling out to eat. Talk about the good old days with a grandparent of an older uncle. Spend late nights and early morning with the friends who understand your soul and weird taste in music. Nothing will ever compare to the feeling of home that they will give you. No matter how ready you are to leave your boring little life, you will miss them. Trust me, I know.
Get ready for the adventure of a life time.
Your world is fixing to change in a way that I honestly still do not have words to describe. It's terrifying, exhilarating, amazing, and so many other words you would find in a T.Swift song all at once. So get ready for it. Enjoy the life you are living now, but don't wish it away.
Your time is coming fast.
