To the high school class of 2016,
I am so proud of you. You are almost done with high school! What an amazing feeling. You have come so far in the past four years; you’ve learned and grown so much. I was in your place two years ago and my brother is in your place now, so I know all of your feelings well. This time of year is when you are beginning to receive your acceptance or rejection letters from colleges. Is it terrifying to you? It was to me. Personally, as a senior in high school, I thought that I was ready to leave and “become an adult” (whatever that means). Looking back on it, I now know that I was still such a child. Honestly, I still am; I have just learned a few more things since then. It is okay to feel small and childish and confused right now. You do not need to pretend that you are an adult because you aren’t. As Meredith Grey puts it, we never truly become adults.
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If you are not freaking out about your future, good for you. I wish I could have been that way when I was in your place. If you are freaking out, I was right there with you. Until I visited colleges over Thanksgiving break, I had no idea what I wanted with my life after high school. Once I stepped on all of the beautiful campuses, it felt like my future had smacked me in the face. I couldn’t avoid it any longer. And I actually welcomed the reality check, believe it or not. Knowing that I would leave my hometown was terrifying but it was also freeing. I would meet new people and I could even become a new person if I wanted to. Those college campuses held promise for me and I hope that you feel the same way when you tour your future homes.
Back to the acceptance/rejection letters. Please know that it is okay if you receive a rejection letter. Hopefully, you have a backup plan; even if you don’t, it is never too late to make one. If your dream school doesn’t want you, then good riddance to them. You can find a new dream school and you will find happiness there. I am a strong believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. Maybe you really want to go to one university but they reject you, so you pick your second choice and meet your spouse there. If you had attended your dream school, you never would have met the love of your life. You will be okay with school #2. You will find joy no matter where you go, even if it’s only found in the small things.
No matter where you end up, I am proud of you. I have watched my brother and his class grow up since kindergarten and it has been a pleasure to be an older sister to them all. The letters coming to you in the mail hold your promising future, so get excited. Don’t fret over rejection but view it as a sign that something better is waiting for you. Live it up during your senior year and get excited to be a freshman again. If you choose NC State, I’ll see you in a year. If you choose another university, I wish you all the best. Have a great year, kids.
