A Letter To Senior Year Me | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Letter To Senior Year Me

And for any high school seniors struggling with the last couple of months before graduation too.

185
Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash
Unsplash

In This Article:

Dear Senior Year Sarah,

At this point, you were studying for your final round of AP exams, getting in all the college credit you can, and praying to get a 3 on AP Calc. You were creating a year-long video project that took up all of your time at school and dabbling in journalism and writing. Despite the mild seasonal depression, EDing to Syracuse University has been your best decision. So many opportunities and people are waiting for you here.

But a couple of things you should know before you walk across the stage with a diploma:

1. You're not touching video editing software in a long time

But that's okay because you ended up doing photography now and learning from the ground up. You're gonna have to play catch up with your classmates, but you have the eye and the work ethic to pull you through.

2. You're going to be surprised who you end up staying in contact with

You still have your small circle back home for everything and anything, but there are a couple of people you'll get to know better away from your hometown while you're on different campuses.

3. Time is the most valuable asset 

And you'll feel like you never have enough of it. You're still working on maximizing the time you have in a day by surrounding yourself with people who do. Minutes and seconds are irreplaceable.

4. You're going to be thankful about your physical and mental health

You're so blessed that your immune system is tough. Being sick in college is so common and limiting your potential. With that, your resistance and ability to bounce back from hard failures (after crying it out) will be your friend.

5. Money isn't the most important thing, but your tuition isn't going to pay itself

Yes, you filled out the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Yes, you got your financial aid packet on MySlice. But dad is not going to be happy when a $1000 bill is sent to him because you didn't submit health insurance and being charged for the university's policy.

6. You're paying for the educations and connections- use them!

I know you enjoy your classes and usually find ways to apply them in your life like the nerd you are, but you're paying thousands of dollars now to ensure a job with all these connections Syracuse gives you. Please use this network wisely and to your advantage. The faculty want to help and see you succeed in your dream life.

7. College is a tradeoff

You will sacrifice alone time and a room to yourself and a place to play piano and sing badly. You're going to miss your piano in the living room and singing at home. But you have the freedom to make your own schedule and not run errands for anyone else.

8. You're going to surprise yourself 

First, you changed your major to photography out of all things. Then you end up joining a sorority. The best thing, it has brought you everything positive your second semester. This is everything you wanted and you have four more years to enjoy all of it.

9. You're not even going to look at your final transcript

Do not stress about AP Calc. You still end with a 4.0 GPA. You did everything you were supposed to do.

High school prepared you to appreciate and enjoy what you wanted most back then. Syracuse University has opened so many doors for you. I am so proud of you for believing in yourself and making the right choice for you.

With happiness,

2nd Semester Sarah

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
ross geller
YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

12 Things I Learned my Freshmen Year of College

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

2339
friends

Whether you're commuting or dorming, your first year of college is a huge adjustment. The transition from living with parents to being on my own was an experience I couldn't have even imagined- both a good and a bad thing. Here's a personal archive of a few of the things I learned after going away for the first time.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

301577
Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause
StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less
blank paper
Allena Tapia

As an English Major in college, I have a lot of writing and especially creative writing pieces that I work on throughout the semester and sometimes, I'll find it hard to get the motivation to type a few pages and the thought process that goes behind it. These are eleven thoughts that I have as a writer while writing my stories.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments