Dear High School Senior,
Enjoy the last month of high school. I know it sounds crazy, but senior year was the best year ever. Enjoy summer. The summer before college is something you won’t ever forget, no matter if it’s good or bad.
I know what you’re thinking, I know what you are telling people: “I am just so freaking ready to get out of here and go to college!” And that’s probably true, but I promise you there will be nights away from home when you miss the place you were so freaking ready to leave.
Hug your siblings, even if they squirm and push you off. Say goodnight to your parents every night, even if you’re mad at them. It’s surprising how much you’ll miss the annoyance of home.
See your friends as much as you can … but only see the ones you think you will actually keep in contact with. Don’t waste your time if you don’t want to. It’s okay that some friendships have expiration dates of graduation. It might suck, but sometimes certain friendships aren’t worth it.
Go to prom, get your hair done and put some makeup on. Dance as much as you can and enjoy all the pictures. It may seem like a hassle, but you never know what memories will come out of it.
Graduation is a blur. Its long and boring, but you worked for four years to get to that spot, you might as well smile about it. Throw that damn cap in the air so high that it’s the last one to fall to the ground.
I’ll tell you right now, you are probably going to overpack way too much when you move in. The room is a lot smaller than you think, and that sweater that you wore once for Christmas in 2014 won’t get touched at school.
It’s going to be exciting to be on your own but budget your money. You will go broke. It will happen. Even if you think it won’t. It will. Enjoy yourself, but retail therapy is not worth all the money.
Call your grandparents, call your parents, call your siblings. They miss you more than you know. Heck, you miss them more than you are willing to admit. Even a quick text message means the world to them. Your busy schedule can always include time for the people who mean the most to you.
The stress and pressure you are going to be put under will feel like it is drowning you. That’s scary to think about, but you should know that it is bound to happen. You learn how to deal with it though. There will be crying and you will be overwhelmed, but I promise everything figures itself out, just put in the effort and you will see results.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. The opportunities are endless and your voice is waiting to be heard, get out there and put yourself out there. You can’t grow without a little bit of fear. You will survive, we all do, it’s your choice to figure out how you can thrive.
From,
A college student who wishes they could do it all again
Cover photo via The High Tide
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