To The Senior Graduating High School In A Month

To The Senior Graduating High School In A Month

"What feels like the end, is often the beginning."
Tori Walach
Tori Walach Apr 11, 2017
167994
views

It wasn't too long ago that I was in your shoes. Just a little over a year ago, I was the senior that had a month left. One month left in the hometown that I grew up in. One month left with the friends that I didn't want to leave. One month left in the place that I had called “my school" for the past four years. You are probably thinking the same things I thought whenever it came down to only 30 days left. You're probably scared, nervous, worried, or anxious. Maybe you're like me and are dying to get out of high school, ready to start a new chapter. Or maybe you aren't so ready yet. Maybe you're wishing for a little more time.

As scary as it is, this month you have left will fly by. You'll blink and you'll be standing in your cap and gown, waiting for your name to be called to receive your diploma. You'll look back on your last four years at your school and wonder why time went by so fast. It'll be bittersweet. However, trust me when I say that you have so much to look forward to. You are about to begin taking the steps to build your future. You are going to grow and learn so much more than any high school class could teach you. You are going to meet amazing people and accomplish amazing things. So, as scared as you might be, I encourage you to take that first step out of your comfort zone and face this world head-on. Chase your dreams and work towards your goals. You are smart. You are brave. You are capable of achieving amazing things. All your life, the lessons you have learned have prepared you for this point in your life. You are more than ready.

There are times when you will feel alone, scared, or confused. There are times when it won't always be easy. But those are the times when you will shine the most because I know you will work through whatever problems you may face. Don't think of the bad times as a terrible thing. Use them all as learning experiences. As author Joshua Marine once said, “Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

You might think that this is the end.

However, it's not.

This is only the beginning.

Trust me when I say that the adventures and opportunities you are about to face are nothing compared to high school. Whether you are going to college, going to work, or something else, this is the beginning of your journey called life. It will be exciting, it will be terrifying, but it will all be worth it.

So, as you walk out of your high school for the very last time, I encourage you to take a deep breath. Relax. You'll always have the memories to look back on from high school. But your time is now, it begins today. Embrace it.

Cover Image Credit: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1152445/images/o-HIGH-SCHOOL-GRADUATION-facebook.jpg
Tori Walach
Tori Walach Apr 11, 2017
At Oklahoma State

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I Went To "The Bachelor" Auditions

And here's why you won’t be seeing me on TV.
Elizabeth Gentry
Elizabeth Gentry Jul 28, 2017
18677
views

It’s finally time to admit my guilty pleasure: I have always been a huge fan of The Bachelor.

I can readily admit that I’ve been a part of Bachelor fantasy leagues, watch parties, solo watching — you name it, I’ve gone the whole nine yards. While I will admit that the show can be incredibly trashy at times, something about it makes me want to watch it that much more. So when I found out that The Bachelor was holding auditions in Houston, I had to investigate.

While I never had the intention of actually auditioning, there was no way I would miss an opportunity to spend some time people watching and check out the filming location of one of my favorite TV shows.

The casting location of The Bachelor, The Downtown Aquarium in Houston, was less than two blocks away from my office. I assumed that I would easily be able to spot the audition line, secretly hoping that the endless line of people would beg the question: what fish could draw THAT big of a crowd?

As I trekked around the tanks full of aquatic creatures in my bright pink dress and heels (feeling somewhat silly for being in such nice clothes in an aquarium and being really proud of myself for somewhat looking the part), I realized that these auditions would be a lot harder to find than I thought.

Finally, I followed the scent of hairspray leading me up the elevator to the third floor of the aquarium.

The doors slid open. I found myself at the end of a large line of 20-something-year-old men and women and I could feel all eyes on me, their next competitor. I watched as one woman pulled out her travel sized hair curler, someone practiced answering interview questions with a companion, and a man (who was definitely a little too old to be the next bachelor) trying out his own pick-up lines on some of the women standing next to him.

I walked to the end of the line (trying to maintain my nonchalant attitude — I don’t want to find love on a TV show). As I looked around, I realized that one woman had not taken her eyes off of me. She batted her fake eyelashes and looked at her friend, mumbling something about the *grumble mumble* “girl in the pink dress.”

I felt a wave of insecurity as I looked down at my body, immediately beginning to recognize the minor flaws in my appearance.

The string hanging off my dress, the bruise on my ankle, the smudge of mascara I was sure I had on the left corner of my eye. I could feel myself begin to sweat. These women were all so gorgeous. Everyone’s hair was perfectly in place, their eyeliner was done flawlessly, and most of them looked like they had just walked off the runway. Obviously, I stuck out like a sore thumb.

I walked over to the couches and sat down. For someone who for the most part spent most of the two hours each Monday night mocking the cast, I was shocked by how much pressure and tension I felt in the room.

A cop, stationed outside the audition room, looked over at me. After a brief explanation that I was just there to watch, he smiled and offered me a tour around the audition space. I watched the lines of beautiful people walk in and out of the space, realizing that each and every one of these contestants to-be was fixated on their own flaws rather than actually worrying about “love.”

Being with all these people, I can see why it’s so easy to get sucked into the fantasy. Reality TV sells because it’s different than real life. And really, what girl wouldn’t like a rose?

Why was I so intimidated by these people? Reality TV is actually the biggest oxymoron. In real life, one person doesn’t get to call all the shots. Every night isn’t going to be in a helicopter looking over the south of France. A real relationship depends on more than the first impression.

The best part of being in a relationship is the reality. The best part about yourself isn’t your high heels. It’s not the perfect dress or the great pick-up lines. It’s being with the person that you can be real with. While I will always be a fan of The Bachelor franchise, this was a nice dose of reality. I think I’ll stick to my cheap sushi dates and getting caught in the rain.

But for anyone who wants to be on The Bachelor, let me just tell you: Your mom was right. There really are a lot of fish in the sea. Or at least at the aquarium.

Cover Image Credit: The Cut
Elizabeth Gentry
Elizabeth Gentry Jul 28, 2017
At Texas A&M University

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The Truth About Your High School Friendships AFTER High School

Best friends forever right?

Marylynneboyd
Marylynneboyd May 14, 2019
518
views

In high school, I was extremely involved, everyone knew me, and I knew everyone. The number of people I would text on a daily basis would be around twenty and I would Snapchat around 60 people a day. I had a sweet sixteen and had a guest list of 240 people. I understand that high school isn't necessarily like this for everyone, but I was involved in twelve clubs, was student body president for two years, was nominated in the homecoming court for my four years there, and was on a friendly basis with every individual. I was that person who would just say "hi" to people in the hallway in passing.

Being in high school I would always hear the seniors who graduated before me talk about how drastically their friendships changed, my mom would constantly tell me how she talks to five friends from high school, and I really couldn't wrap my head around that. I interacted with a ton of people online, but even more in person, and I thought that it would stay the same after high school. I mean sure, I figured that it would mostly be all online interaction as I was going to a college out of state, but that's not the case.

The interactions I have with these "friends" consist of maybe three individuals who I talk to once a week — if that.

Everyone else, all those people who I felt so bonded to, I will occasionally like their Instagram picture or retweet their tweet, but that's as far as it extends. It's weird. In high school, you are surrounded by these people who you grow up with, and you don't realize how big the world truly is. Once you leave high school you see that there's more to life than just your town.

I'm glad that I have my three friends from high school because those are the people who want to be in your life. It's not that those friends from high school don't but college is about self-discovery. It's about finding those who are there for the long run, and in college, I have found that. I've found people who will be my friends for life.

Marylynneboyd
Marylynneboyd May 14, 2019
At Florida Gulf Coast University

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