An open letter to the ones who will soon be starting their first day of a year full of last.
(& if you aren't a senior- I have another high school post that I love. Here. Read it) :)
Dear Senior here are a few things I learned that I wish I had known sooner,
1) Please, I don't say this lightly, please cherish every moment. Time moves quickly and before you know it you are singing the fight song for the very last time surrounded by people you've been able to see everyday for years. (eeek, feelin' sentimental just thinking about it)
2) You will be starting the year with so many hopes, and expectations. My dear seniors, senior year is as great as you make it! Make it rock. *cue Hannah Montana song*
3) Go. to. every. dance you possibly can. If you don't get asked, and you have had ANY desire to go to the dance, then go. One of my very favorite dances was one where a group of my best friends got together and partied it out. We sang all the songs, laughed at how awkward we were, and it is still a very favorite memory.
4) Buy your senior package early. Actually, buy everything early. Don't add stress, and don't pay the last possible day because sometimes the line is a few hours long, and the financial lady (we became great friends senior year) doesn't want to be there all day so she likes it when you pay earlier.
5) Take a day off. My best friend and I watched Hallmark movies in a blanket fort one day instead of school, and it was just wonderful. Mental break day is so much better than trudging through a day of school it you are mentally checked out. (tip- get your school work before and spend an hour doing it before movies so you don't have to worry during the cute movies)
6) That being said, just stay on top of your homework. I know you will feel like you are done with high school, and homework but just keep on keeping on. I had a friend that kept pushing it off and not being cleared to graduate till the very. last. hour. actually isn't as fun as it may sound.
7) Be friends with everyone!!! You only have a year left with the people you have grown to love. Don't take that for granted. You won't be passing them in the hallway anymore, and I find myself missing saying "hi" to the sweet girl I would pass on the way to math everyday. (tip- the last month of senior activities everyone is jsut friends with everyone, like really)
8) College Applications. They are as gross as they sound. Do NOT procrastinate these. Start them as soon as they become available, and finish the scholarship applications for every school you apply for! Even if you think you have a school in mind, Heavenly Father might have a different plan in mind, and you will want to be covered if you end up at a different college then originally thought.
9) Make your testimony a priority. I truthfully feel like I got gypped a little bit with my senior year (a few blog posts back talk about that...) but I was always so grateful for my testimony because it kept me sane through everything this last year. It is important, and should be strengthened as much as possible
10) Missionaries. Your friends will soon be missionaries. Support them & email them. Make sure they know that you love them. The summer after high school is filled with missionary farewells, and they are great because that is one of the only times you will see some of the people after high school.
11) See you laters. This goes along with missionary farewells because right now some of my very favorite people are either serving or preparing to leave super soon. Make sure you say goodbye (I refuse to say goodbyes if I hope to see them again, so I do see you laters). As heartbreaking as some of the see you laters may be, say them. Do something before they leave so you have a memory to fall back on while watching chick flicks and crying (this one is a raw personal experience )
12) Go to every single event you possibly can. One day you are standing on the football field hugging your best friends as you beat Lehi for the last time, and then the next second you are on the basketball court after the last home game and wondering where the time has gone. I promise you won't regret the late nights spent cheering your heart out with your best friends.
13) Love the late nights. I like sleep, but I have never once regretted the nights I stayed out with friends and only getting 3 hours of sleep.
14) The senior activities have been planned since June, and I can guarantee they are worth going to. I was so close to not going to Lagoon this year, and it turned out to be one of the best days I have ever had, ever. You won't want to miss the neat activities with your senior class.
15) Sometimes social "ranks" per say, may get in the way but the good news is that no one actually cares. Seriously. Like talk to everyone, and get to know them.
16) Take pictures. Take pictures of your best friends, of the games, and the events. Take silly pictures, and pictures of moments. I love looking back on my pictures because I can remember exactly what happened during and before the shutter release button was pressed.
17) Hang out with your friends without phones. Phones are great but spend time with the people around you. Defy the social norm and don't pull out your phone when there are other people around you.
18) Spend the money. If all your friends are going somewhere for an ice cream, go. There will plenty of time after high school to worry about finances. (seriously, that has been this whole summer. just budget properly) memories are worth the $1 you spent on your ice cream cone. Or just go and get water or steal a lick of someone elses (very sanitary)
19) Plan trips with your friends. Who knows, maybe one day they will happen (like if you take my advice and make things happen) :)
20) Spend time with your family. Not only are you going to be leaving your friends and school, but you will be leaving your family soon. Go to family home evenings, family dinners, and don't complain about the family pictures. You will want more time with them when you are packing up your childhood bedroom.
21) At graduation make sure you get pictures with all you very best friends. It gets crazy because everyone is looking for their family, but the worst thing is getting the car and realizing that you didn't get a picture with your best friend.
22) My personal favorite- You are only a senior in high school ONCE. So I think everyone understands and should agree that high school musical jumps have to happen! Do them all the time. At all senior events. HSM jumps as a senior are so much better than any other year, but don't just take my word for it, do it!
23) Participate in lunch time activities. Sing songs at lunch. OR maybe start cheering because your friend is going to class. Who knows, maybe the whole school will join in! (Been there done this countless times) We also made lunches more fun by playing down by the banks. Yep. Good memories. Just do whatever you want to do.
24) Don't feel bad if you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend & don't think that kissing someone means everything. You won't want to tell your kids about the wierdo you kissed just because everyone else was doing it. (kiss the cutie from your math class instead) ;)
25) One day you won't live 10 minutes away from all your friends, take advantage of it. I promise you that it will hit hard when everyone is living in different states & different countries and you realize you would give anything for one more late night drive home after curfew with your best friends.
26) Join the clubs. Do it. Any club you had any interest in since you were a freshman- JOIN. Most of the time you find something you love, or at least some great extra curricular for college apps.
27) Remember that one day you will miss this. Remember that one day you will have your heart hurt while looking through old pictures. Remember all the moments, the memories, and the friends. Remember it, cherish it, love it, and learn from it. But, don't dwell on it. Remember the good, and move on when the time comes. Accept the new changes, because I promise there will be lots.
28) High school really isn't the end, nor is it even the middle, it is only the beginning. Don't stop there. Keep going & keep loving. As my cute senior class of 2016 once quoted a thousand times (or maybe it was just me because I loved the quote), "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Oh you will go to so many incredible places in your life, far more amazing then high school, but don't forget that high school helped make you who you are, and don't forget about the late nights spent hoping train tracks or playing fugitive down by the lake because one day those will be the stories you will want to tell.
In case you need a reason to feel excited of sentimental about last school year or a new school year ot school in general. This is a video of Westlake that still makes me cry, and gives me so much school spirit.
(& if you aren't a senior- I have another high school post that I love. Here. Read it) :)
Dear Senior here are a few things I learned that I wish I had known sooner,
1) Please, I don't say this lightly, please cherish every moment. Time moves quickly and before you know it you are singing the fight song for the very last time surrounded by people you've been able to see everyday for years. (eeek, feelin' sentimental just thinking about it)
2) You will be starting the year with so many hopes, and expectations. My dear seniors, senior year is as great as you make it! Make it rock. *cue Hannah Montana song*
3) Go. to. every. dance you possibly can. If you don't get asked, and you have had ANY desire to go to the dance, then go. One of my very favorite dances was one where a group of my best friends got together and partied it out. We sang all the songs, laughed at how awkward we were, and it is still a very favorite memory.
4) Buy your senior package early. Actually, buy everything early. Don't add stress, and don't pay the last possible day because sometimes the line is a few hours long, and the financial lady (we became great friends senior year) doesn't want to be there all day so she likes it when you pay earlier.
5) Take a day off. My best friend and I watched Hallmark movies in a blanket fort one day instead of school, and it was just wonderful. Mental break day is so much better than trudging through a day of school it you are mentally checked out. (tip- get your school work before and spend an hour doing it before movies so you don't have to worry during the cute movies)
6) That being said, just stay on top of your homework. I know you will feel like you are done with high school, and homework but just keep on keeping on. I had a friend that kept pushing it off and not being cleared to graduate till the very. last. hour. actually isn't as fun as it may sound.
7) Be friends with everyone!!! You only have a year left with the people you have grown to love. Don't take that for granted. You won't be passing them in the hallway anymore, and I find myself missing saying "hi" to the sweet girl I would pass on the way to math everyday. (tip- the last month of senior activities everyone is jsut friends with everyone, like really)
8) College Applications. They are as gross as they sound. Do NOT procrastinate these. Start them as soon as they become available, and finish the scholarship applications for every school you apply for! Even if you think you have a school in mind, Heavenly Father might have a different plan in mind, and you will want to be covered if you end up at a different college then originally thought.
9) Make your testimony a priority. I truthfully feel like I got gypped a little bit with my senior year (a few blog posts back talk about that...) but I was always so grateful for my testimony because it kept me sane through everything this last year. It is important, and should be strengthened as much as possible
10) Missionaries. Your friends will soon be missionaries. Support them & email them. Make sure they know that you love them. The summer after high school is filled with missionary farewells, and they are great because that is one of the only times you will see some of the people after high school.
11) See you laters. This goes along with missionary farewells because right now some of my very favorite people are either serving or preparing to leave super soon. Make sure you say goodbye (I refuse to say goodbyes if I hope to see them again, so I do see you laters). As heartbreaking as some of the see you laters may be, say them. Do something before they leave so you have a memory to fall back on while watching chick flicks and crying (this one is a raw personal experience )
12) Go to every single event you possibly can. One day you are standing on the football field hugging your best friends as you beat Lehi for the last time, and then the next second you are on the basketball court after the last home game and wondering where the time has gone. I promise you won't regret the late nights spent cheering your heart out with your best friends.
13) Love the late nights. I like sleep, but I have never once regretted the nights I stayed out with friends and only getting 3 hours of sleep.
14) The senior activities have been planned since June, and I can guarantee they are worth going to. I was so close to not going to Lagoon this year, and it turned out to be one of the best days I have ever had, ever. You won't want to miss the neat activities with your senior class.
15) Sometimes social "ranks" per say, may get in the way but the good news is that no one actually cares. Seriously. Like talk to everyone, and get to know them.
16) Take pictures. Take pictures of your best friends, of the games, and the events. Take silly pictures, and pictures of moments. I love looking back on my pictures because I can remember exactly what happened during and before the shutter release button was pressed.
17) Hang out with your friends without phones. Phones are great but spend time with the people around you. Defy the social norm and don't pull out your phone when there are other people around you.
18) Spend the money. If all your friends are going somewhere for an ice cream, go. There will plenty of time after high school to worry about finances. (seriously, that has been this whole summer. just budget properly) memories are worth the $1 you spent on your ice cream cone. Or just go and get water or steal a lick of someone elses (very sanitary)
19) Plan trips with your friends. Who knows, maybe one day they will happen (like if you take my advice and make things happen) :)
20) Spend time with your family. Not only are you going to be leaving your friends and school, but you will be leaving your family soon. Go to family home evenings, family dinners, and don't complain about the family pictures. You will want more time with them when you are packing up your childhood bedroom.
21) At graduation make sure you get pictures with all you very best friends. It gets crazy because everyone is looking for their family, but the worst thing is getting the car and realizing that you didn't get a picture with your best friend.
22) My personal favorite- You are only a senior in high school ONCE. So I think everyone understands and should agree that high school musical jumps have to happen! Do them all the time. At all senior events. HSM jumps as a senior are so much better than any other year, but don't just take my word for it, do it!
23) Participate in lunch time activities. Sing songs at lunch. OR maybe start cheering because your friend is going to class. Who knows, maybe the whole school will join in! (Been there done this countless times) We also made lunches more fun by playing down by the banks. Yep. Good memories. Just do whatever you want to do.
24) Don't feel bad if you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend & don't think that kissing someone means everything. You won't want to tell your kids about the wierdo you kissed just because everyone else was doing it. (kiss the cutie from your math class instead) ;)
25) One day you won't live 10 minutes away from all your friends, take advantage of it. I promise you that it will hit hard when everyone is living in different states & different countries and you realize you would give anything for one more late night drive home after curfew with your best friends.
26) Join the clubs. Do it. Any club you had any interest in since you were a freshman- JOIN. Most of the time you find something you love, or at least some great extra curricular for college apps.
27) Remember that one day you will miss this. Remember that one day you will have your heart hurt while looking through old pictures. Remember all the moments, the memories, and the friends. Remember it, cherish it, love it, and learn from it. But, don't dwell on it. Remember the good, and move on when the time comes. Accept the new changes, because I promise there will be lots.
28) High school really isn't the end, nor is it even the middle, it is only the beginning. Don't stop there. Keep going & keep loving. As my cute senior class of 2016 once quoted a thousand times (or maybe it was just me because I loved the quote), "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Oh you will go to so many incredible places in your life, far more amazing then high school, but don't forget that high school helped make you who you are, and don't forget about the late nights spent hoping train tracks or playing fugitive down by the lake because one day those will be the stories you will want to tell.
In case you need a reason to feel excited of sentimental about last school year or a new school year ot school in general. This is a video of Westlake that still makes me cry, and gives me so much school spirit.
Oh yeah. By all means.
ReplyDelete