Okay, so I miss aspects of High School and maybe you do too.
Have you ever sat in your dorm room or somewhere on/off campus, pondering about your life, when you suddenly begin to miss your high school days? Specifically, high school friends or the people you met there? If this happens to you, you are not alone. I miss mine too. No matter where they are, out of state/country, are back home, or are simply going to school 20 minutes away from you, we all miss our friends at some point.
I’ll admit it, I miss high school. Well, maybe not the eight periods, 8:00a.m to 3:00p.m daily schedule, or the loads of assignments, but high school is still a time that I miss.
Badly.
Ironically, I used to be one of those students who absolutely despised my college-prep high school because of the large workload. But there was always another part of me that could not help but love my school for the community it had. As a freshman, the high school I attended was not the only one who welcomed me with open arms: it was also the students, who eventually became my friends.
In middle school, I never really had a designated “clique”. Our class was really close as we had grown up together for the better part of nine years, but I only had a few close friends. At times, it felt lonesome and I was scared I was not going to make a lot of friends in high school, or any for that matter.
So being welcomed by so many students in a new setting was overwhelming, in a good way. I was overwhelmed by the gratitude and positive energy these people had at my high school and I could not wait to be apart of it.
I got to meet so many friendly and familiar faces and I enjoyed seeing them everyday. This was not just from the people I met in my year. This was also from a range of students who were both older and younger than me.
Throughout all four years, I created new friendships and formed even stronger bonds.These friendships gave me a reason to go to school. It was the type of friendships that consisted of long conversations and endless phone calls, and hearing our laughter echo throughout the halls of the school. If I had no motivation to come to school on time, these were the type of friendships that made me want to come, saving me from that tardy slip. In particular my senior year of high school, I became really close to some of the sophomores and juniors, which made it more memorable than it already was. Most of my teachers were easy to bond with as well, because I had them in previous years, or if it was their first year teaching, they got along really well with my class. From eating in their classrooms at break to staying after school just to make small talk, not only was I friends with fellow students, but also my teachers. Eventually, all good things come to an end and before I knew it, I was writing my goodbyes in yearbooks. As I stood in my cap and gown, moments away from walking across the stage in order to receive my diploma and taking my next big step in life, I was ready to walk towards my future.
But, even with being eased into the process of getting into college gradually with support and my own excitement, I was never really ready to leave.
I think it is a normal thing though. As the months creep up on you, closer to the end of your senior year of high school, you become scared, excited, possibly overwhelmed or even all of the above!
And this is exactly how I felt.
As the start of college came closer and closer, I was bombarded with questions like, “Which college are you going to?”, “What are you majoring in?” And the biggest question of them all, “Are you ready for college?”
And I would reply with things like, “I’m scared and excited because I don’t know what to expect.” Or “I don’t know if I will be able to find my way around the campus.”
But deep down, a part of me wishes that someone had asked me if I was ready to leave my friends. Was I going to be okay with the idea of separating from people that I had so many memories with, whom I talked and laughed with for hours before, during, and after school every weekday? Would the teachers I bonded with still remember me?
So, the question “Are you ready for college?”, had me in a spiral.
In truth, I was not and this was largely due to COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in almost two years of online-schooling, which took away a lot of in-person interactions with friends. COVID changed regular in-person interactions into regular screen-time interactions, forcing me and my friends to converse solely over Zoom or Face-time instead of eating lunch together in my school’s cafeteria. And when we were finally able to go back in-person, we only had a year left of high school. A year left to reclaim all the potential memories I could’ve had but COVID took. The transition from COVID to post-COVID was something I had to battle with, something I’m still struggling with today.
The end of high school really pushed things into reality. Knowing that time was now up and having to choose our new destinations at different colleges meant we had to part ways and that was the hardest thing about transitioning. It was hard from elementary to high school and it was even more difficult from high school to college. I was leaving teachers and staff that I had grown up with too, which made the transition seem impossible.
I knew “the high school contract” was only to stay four years but I didn’t think it would end as quickly as everyone says.
Now, as a freshman in college currently, I have met really cool people and look forward to meeting more as my journey continues at the University of San Francisco. Yet, that does not mean I am not still terrified of being in a new environment and meeting new people.
You might be too and maybe you related to my high school story. But know, just because you are in a new environment, does not mean you have to necessarily let go of your high school friends. Here are some tips to help you deal with missing your friends:
- Stay In Touch !
The most important tip I could give you is to stay in touch with your friends! I know that college can get busy, especially during midterm season and finals, but if you have some free time or could spare five minutes, send a check up text to your friends and ask them how they are. If you also have any of your favorite teachers’ emails or contact information, try to stay in touch with them as well. Tell them how you are doing in college, because I am sure they would love to hear it!
- Stay Consistent!
Staying in touch comes with consistency. You don’t have to text them everyday but once in a while is great. Even sending an occasional TikTok is a great way to just remind them, and yourself, that you and them are just a text away. It lets them know that you still care and that you are willing to keep in contact.
- Plan A Meet Up
If you have extra time or if you are able to during breaks, try to plan some mini reunions or hangs outs! Go for lunch, see a movie, even a drive around your hometown is a great way to catch up and update them on any life changes.
It is okay to miss people you used to hang out with. Just trying to make the effort to keep up with them, especially if they are trying to keep up with you, is a sure way to help. As the saying goes in High School Musical 3, “Who says we have to let it go? It’s the best part we’ve ever known. Step into the future, … Let’s celebrate where we come from. The friends who’ve been there all along.”