Letter to past self: Take away from high school

Dear past self,  

My senior year of high school is coming to an end. It is weird to think that next year I will not be walking the halls of Central any longer. I am excited and ready for this new chapter of my life but for some, their high school chapter is just beginning. That is why I am going to share some of my take aways from high school.  

The first thing being that Central high school is not perfect. From your first step into the building to your last the idea that Central is the best is shoved down your throat. There are many wonderful aspects of Central, many opportunities here and ways to get involved and some amazing staff but there are also things that need some work. This is a combination of the people, the expectations and the environment. Central is a good school overall and I am proud to say that I went there but that does not mean it’s perfect.  

The second thing is that high school was not an overall great experience. It was filled with hard classes, lots of homework, high expectations, stress, and exhaustion. These four years of your life are made to push you, are made to make you work. It’s not fun but there are ways to make it more enjoyable. Don’t just accept the negative, find a way to make positive moments and memories because in the long run those are the ones that will stick.  

Number three is that I found my best friends in high school, the people I can’t imagine living without. I also made friends with people I probably would not have even spoken with if it had not been for a club or group I was a part of. Now I am not saying that everyone will find their perfect friends or that every friendship will last after high school, but I am saying that it is a great time to meet new people or reassess the relationships you already have. A good thing about going to a large high school is that it almost feels like there is an endless amount of people to meet so don’t settle.  

My fourth take away seems like a simple one and that is to have fun. You will be tired because of school and all the other responsibilities that you have but if there is an opportunity to have fun take it. This is something I worked on during my senior year and regret not doing it sooner. I have been focusing on making my personal life higher on my priorities this year because although school is important it’s not everything. If you take one thing from this letter that is what I want, you to take away. School is not everything.  

Lastly, high school flies by. It feels like forever in the moment but one day you will wake up and it’s gone.  So, all that high school drama and stress over the next test is not as important in the long run as it feels. You should be able to enjoy your teen years because once you’re done with high school, you’re an adult.  I won’t say I have any regrets because I don’t, but I will say that there were times I could have enjoyed life way more if I lived in the moment and had not been so focused on things I can’t even recall now. High school is only four years of your life, try to make them good.