You’re at the peak of your high school experience right now. Being a second semester senior is everything you’ve been waiting for throughout the days of ACT prep, college essays, and extracurricular activities that you couldn’t care less about. You are counting down the days until everyone gets to wear their college shirts to school, and you have so many exciting things ahead of you such us ditch day, senior prom, and the obvious - graduation.
These last few months are going to go by faster than anything, and before you know it, it’ll be August and you’ll be saying your goodbyes to those high school friendships that you never thought would become long distance.
It’s an incredibly scary and exciting time, and as I wrap up my freshman year of college, I can look back at where I was a year ago and see how much my life has changed from then till now. With that, here are some things I would go back and tell myself as a senior graduating high school.
Don't be stupid.
This is the last few months of high school, so you’re bound to do some crazy and reckless things because why the hell not? Well, let me be the first to tell you that you can still get drinking tickets, receive detentions, and get in trouble as a second-semester senior. You are not invincible, and if anything, your school is paying the most attention to the seniors and what you do in these final months. So don’t be stupid.
Your parents want to see you walk during graduation, and coming to school blacked out or taking part in a risky senior prank is not worth it. Do what you gotta do to have fun and make the most out of these last few months, but just don’t forget that you still need to graduate in order to move onto the next chapter, so don’t f*ck it up.
You gotta do what's best for YOU.
One of the biggest things I had to come to terms with was which college was the best for me. I went back and forth over choosing between one college that would seem more prestigious in the eyes of my peers, and another school that I felt the most comfortable at. In the end, no one cares where you’re going as long as it’s the best decision for you, it's your life and you don't want to live with 4 years of regret.
So whether you choose to take a gap year, or maybe even you decide that college just isn't the right path for you, as long as you're thinking about yourself and how you can succeed in the future, no one else's opinions should matter (except for maybe your parents if they're the ones paying).
It's okay to cry (or not cry) at graduation.
No one can deny the fact that high school was a huge chunk of your life that had a lasting impression. So, if you catch the ~feels~ during the commencement speech, don’t be afraid to let go as you look around at your classmates all together for the last time. And if you feel nothing, that’s okay too. It doesn’t mean that your not sad to leave high school behind, it could just mean that your excited to see what this next chapter has in store for you.
Make the most out of this summer.
I know what you may be thinking, you're entering your freshman year of college and it's time to get your shit together. Well, let me tell you that you still have plenty of time for that. You don't need to intern for a 9-5 job just yet, and you certainly don't have to spend all summer earning extra credits at a community college to get ahead.
This summer should be one that you enjoy and take advantage of with the friends that you won’t be spending every waking moment with next year. It's one of the last times everyone will be together before parents decide to sell the childhood home and move out of state, and before everyone starts to go off an adult. No one is finding job opportunities in New York just yet and hopefully, no one is thinking of starting a family anytime soon (but I’m not one to judge).
For this summer, you still have time to enjoy and cherish what’s left of being a teenager. Make the absolute most of this summer with your high school friends, because before you know it, it’ll be August and you’ll be sending a new friend off to college once a week. So, please get tickets to that music festival, go to the lake even when it’s cloudy, and come for the car ride just to listen to music and drive around.
Friendships will fade, and that's okay.
One of the most amazing parts of college is figuring out which of your friends are “lifers” and which of your friends were just part of that specific chapter. You are about to realize a lot about yourself in these next 4 years, and there is no need to stress out over maintaining old friendships that are bound to fade. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love those people, but don’t freak out over not staying in touch with certain people from high school.
If you care a lot about a friendship and if someone is meant to stay in your life, then you guys will make it work. Everyone goes in different directions after high school, and you’ll be surprised at how many people you end up not keeping your promise of “Facetiming every day.” It’s really okay, not everyone is meant to stay in your life and that’s something you’ll come to realize.
It's a scary transition, but everyone is in the same boat.
You finally get to the point where you can understand the ins and outs of your school, and then before you know it, you’re entering your freshman year of college and it’s back at the bottom of the totem pole for you. You’ll be nervous, confused, and you won’t know where to go or who to reach out to. But that’s okay because just as how you did your freshman year of high school, you’ll do it again in college, just to a larger degree.
Everyone else is in the same boat, and it’s okay to call home or text in your high school group chat to get you through the first few weeks of this transition.
The first few weeks, even months, of college are hard. With the stress of making friends, understanding your schedule and classes, and adapting to the new environment altogether, a mental breakdown or two is bound to happen. Just know that there’s a reason why everyone says they love college and be confident that you’ll get to that point.
College friends are different, and it's amazing.
Going into college, I thought there was no way I would ever find friends that could compare to the incredible circle of friends I made in high school. In the first few weeks of college, I questioned whether I would ever find girls that cared about me and knew me as well as my high school friends do. You’ll come to learn that living with your friends is one of the most amazing things and that friendships grow really quick in college. My friends here know everything about me, from how messy I am, to my levels of procrastination, to how long it takes me to get ready.
Since your college friends basically live with you, you get to know them on a different level than you may have with your high school friends. Sure, that comes with the cost of mood swings and having all of your cycles sync up, but it’s pretty awesome to have people to talk to at 4 a.m., get ready at night with, and make sure that you attend your 11 AM classes after a night out.
Spend time with your family.
Don’t forget about these people. Even if you hate to admit it, you'll miss having them around. Make sure you stay in some nights just to watch that show with your family and be part of family dinners. I’ll tell you right now that there’s nothing I miss more than cuddling up on the couch every Monday and watching "The Bachelor" with my mom. So, while you’re stressing about spending as much time as possible with your friends, don’t forget about the people who will miss having you around the most.
Leave the labels behind.
I cannot stress this more. College you and high school you are completely different people. If you were one person in high school, you by no means have to carry that definition with you to college. This is your time to reinvent yourself and figure out who you really want to be and the kind of people you want to surround yourself with. Don’t go into college with any expectations about how cool or uncool you’ll be, because to be honest, none of that shit matters these next 4 years. It’s incredibly cliche, I’m aware, but you have to adapt to a new and fresh mindset. Leave all the stupid high school drama and labels in the past, because you’ll come to realize that college isn’t about maintaining any sort of image or status, but it’s really just about having fun, studying hard, and meeting your future bridesmaids.
Get excited.
Congrats, you are almost done with high school and your life is about to begin. Get excited for what’s ahead of you and to see what this next chapter unfolds. Enjoy graduation, make tons of memories this summer, and don’t let the idea of college intimidate you. In reality, everyone is in the same boat, and soon enough you’ll be like me, looking back at your freshman year of college and asking yourself how the hell did time go by so fast.
