Dear Class of 2021

Sydney Hembrough, Staff writer

Welcome to high school, the land of sleep deprived students, tests you forgot to study for, and friendships you thought would last forever. If you haven’t had at least one mental breakdown in the past month, are you really a high school student? This is just the beginning of a journey that some may say is the “best four years of your life.”

If you haven’t figured it out yet, this isn’t High School Musical. The chicken-served-in-different-forms cafeteria isn’t the place for singing and dancing. You won’t have the time to perform in the hallways, and you won’t be “all in this together.” High school is about more than just your status quo. While it may seem like your friendship status with the “popular” kids determines your rank in the school, that kind of rank won’t get you into college.

Speaking of college, your acceptance letter in hand is not required as soon as you walk through the doors of high school. Despite all of the talk about “What are you going to do after this,” you don’t have to have all of the answers just yet. In fact, take your time. The decisions you make in these next few years can (and will) affect you. Whether it be what you choose to participate in on the weekends to what career choice you want to make, every decision you make has the potential of shaping your future. So, it is okay to say, “I’m not sure yet,” but don’t push it off for too long. Trust me, start looking early. Schedule college visits, job shadow, and spend time educating yourself on all of the options you have. There isn’t one way to do this thing we call “life.” The road to success looks different for everyone. Even though our education system portrays their version of “success” as going to an overpriced four-year university straight out of high school, that may not be the answer for you, and that is okay. All I ask of you is to set yourself up to be a beneficial contributor to society. That is all.

I hope you keep in mind that you are NOT a number. Yes, SAT scores and your GPA will get you very far, so keep those in mind. But, these numbers do not define you or your worth. If you are anything like I am, you will spend many hours studying to be “standard.” By that I mean that standardized tests will consume your life for a good part of your high school career. However, all that is measuring is how “standard” or average you are. Your score on that test does not reflect how awesome or valued you are as an individual. Even though it may be frustrating when you don’t get the score you needed, keep in mind that you are way more than standard. You have so much potential that cannot be measured by any score on a test or ranking on a 4.0 scale.

Have I scared you yet? That wasn’t my intention, but the reality of high school seems to be hidden by the orientation packets and presentations. High school has some amazing perks to it, as well. There is so much to ramble on about, but to summarize: get involved. One of my biggest regrets was that I was so caught up in the transition stage of freshman year that I didn’t get to enjoy all of the wonderful organizations that JHS had to offer. When I discovered all of the clubs and organizations my sophomore year, it was one of those “where have you been all my life” moments. I didn’t have well-rounded people in my life because most of my older friends were very sports-oriented when I was a freshman. Not that athletics are a bad thing, but there’s so much more to high school than the sport you have always played. Therefore, I encourage you to try something new. One meeting after school is not going to take up that much time, and I promise you that it may just spark a new passion in you.

Take chances and learn from the experiences you encounter. Not every moment will be “picture perfect,” but everything you go through adds a page to this new chapter in your life. As cliche as it may sound, these four years will go so fast. I remember being in your position, wishing the weeks away. Oh honey, the weeks will soon get away from you, and you will be in my shoes asking yourself where all of the time went. When it is your year of “lasts,” you will know where I am coming from. When it is time to leave everything you’ve ever known, you’re going to wish it didn’t go by so fast. So, treasure this last chance you have to be a kid surrounded by the people you have grown up with, but also keep your future in mind because it’s not that far away.

Best wishes,

A Sappy Senior