I was hoping to write this before classes had even started, but as you can tell I have procrastinated once again with my posts on YAA. 61 days have passed since the first day of school and now here I am, writing an open letter to myself before being bombarded with the stress of January diplomas, applying for universities, anxiously waiting for the big envelope or the small envelope in the mail and all the “Last(s)” this year has to offer and before the stress of graduation.
Dear Nikki,
Today being November 1st 2015, there are approximately 29 weeks, 4 days and 5 hours until May 27th 2016, also known as the day of my commencement and to be honest, I’m pretty psyched. High school hasn’t been anything like HSM, Bring It On, or Carrie, but I’ve noticed that some of my experiences at BGHS share some aspects of high school with Mean Girls, 21 Jump Street, and HSM 3. For instance, by grade 12 it’s possible to find people you’ve never met or seen in the past 2 years or have friends that you see once every 3 weeks because they have spares 77% of the time. Meeting new people is pretty cool and everything, but you find yourself wondering if they’re even legitimate students that go to your school.
Also, people change and that’s okay. Come high school, the environment, classes and people you’re surrounded with are different so you’re bound to be different too. I guess for me, sometimes change is confusing. Like when some things that didn’t feel temporary, end up being temporary, and situations don’t turn out as you hope. It’s upsetting especially when it’s a relationship with a friend but c’est la vie I guess?
The first High School Musical is difficult to relate to because for one, I did not experience meeting my soul mate during winter vacation or manipulate school events in my favor so all of friends and I could go to the callbacks. We don’t even have musical productions at my high school. However, similar to the Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez in the last film, I too am in grade 12. I really wish I could identify more with the movie but that’s it. Hold on, I can relate to the first movie because most of the time I find myself feeling like Kelsey when she trips over nothing and drops her entire life on stage, and also like all of the kids who auditioned for the spring m(w)usic(a)al- sad and sort of hopeless.
With where I am right now, I think I’m going to miss high school.
You know when the bell rings and you’re walking to second period and get stuck in that one random and extremely congested itty bitty portion of the hallway. Then while you’re taking 1/12 of a usual step and trying to keep all of your things together as you’re surrounded by rowdy grade 10s, egotistic grade 11s and fellow grade 12s just tryna to stay awake and graduate, you make eye contact with the friend you made in your English 10 class that you haven’t really had a conversation with in a while. You decide to smile at them anyways because you only accidentally fell asleep once during first period, the day is looking good and you’re trying to say “Hey! I hope you’re doing well!” without having to disrupt the equations you’re repeating in your head for physics and having to shout above the crowd. Your friend from English 10 responds with a heart-warming smile and it’s then that you both just know even though you’re not the best of friends, maybe just acquaintances even, it’s mutual that if you need a friend, you’ve got a friend. Anyways, that’s one of the things I’m going to miss.
Nikki, I know that so far this year has been pretty mediocre so in times when you feel extra ordinary, look to these little tidbits of advice that I think will help make your year extraordinary.
1) Stop procrastinating and prioritize better. My goodness, your “it’s whatever” attitude is getting pretty old and you need to start putting your energy, heart and soul into life if you’re hoping to get a good outcome. There is literally no time left and barely any room to screw up now that you’re a senior. You can do it, just stop procrastinating and prioritize better.
2) Go to a football game, or the 1 swim meet that exists or every sporting event you can attend and support your school. Stop just talking about wanting to build a better community within the school and actually take some action to achieve it. #believeintheghosts This is your last year of grade school. It’s now, never or patiently waiting for university/whatever comes next, and hope that you find the sense of belonging you’re looking for there.
3) Go out of your comfort zone and take action or else you’ll find yourself regretting the thing you didn’t do, more than regretting the things that you did do. Also, why not think about every other cliche like, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, “the only disability in life is a bad attitude”, “everything happens for a reason” and “Instead of having a bad day, be thankful you have the day“
4)Honestly, it’s just high school. You’re gonna get there. There, as in when you’re 40 with a wonderful marriage, a kid or 10, a stable job and no homework due or midterm coming up. The things you do now matter, but at the same time they don’t.. If you have a crush on someone but are afraid to tell them because exposing your feelings is scary or they’re taken and/or whatever excuse you’ve come up with, if you want to do something out of the norm like get a Mohawk or face piercing, I feel like now would be a good time to tell that person how you feel or do something radical and cause a little ruckus. I’m looking at this in the perspective that if you get into a mess now you just have your math/physics/social/biology homework and maybe your heart on the line, whereas later you’ll have your more serious matters. For instance your career, children and/or spouse will be affected directly by situations where you’ve goofed up.
Today being November 1st 2015,there are approximately 223 days until June 10th 2016, the last day of regular classes. 241 days until the last day of exams so then 242 days until the school office officially closes for the summer. Meaning there are approximately 242 days until grade 12 year is officially over. So. Get good grades, keep good friends, make good memories and have a good year. Even if things may seem really rough, don’t lose the faith you/I have right now that it’ll all get better.
À tantôt ♥