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My bag is packed. My outfit is laying out on my bed. My new adidas shoes are out of the box. My hair is perfectly full of voluminous curls with no frizz. Tomorrow is my last first day of school, and to be completely honest, I don’t know how to feel. Everything feels unknown to me. While I am excited to wake up early and take pictures with my friends in our school parking lot, I am also nervous about my classes. Who are in them? What will they be like? I am excited to see my old teachers who I am lucky to have again this year, but I am also nervous about my new teachers. This year is supposed to feel surreal, and yet, I feel so lost.
Last year was very rough for me. “The beast of junior year.” All I did was study. I did not have a social life. I didn’t go out. My outing was considered going to dance team rehearsals, which was us getting screamed at for hours, then coming straight home and doing more homework. It also didn’t help that going through high school means going through mean high school people. I was having a hard time with my friends, which probably didn’t help. And on top of that, I had ACT prep, before and after school clubs, AP exams, and trying to pass my road test. My brain needed a break. I was so overwhelmed, I didn’t think I would be able to get everything done. But somehow I did. To this day, whenever I start to worry or doubt myself if I will get everything done, I remind myself of junior year, and how I did it all.
For this school year I am making it a priority to hang out with my friends every weekend. And not just for a quick dinner and then having to rush home to study. Spending quality time away from my books and work and getting out of the house. I have learned since summer started that life needs a balance. Spending an hour doing work, then taking a 15 minute break. One thing that really helped me last year was my time outdoors. Taking those brain breaks to go for a 30 minute walk outside can really refocus your mind. And as the weather starts to cool down, I will be spending my time outside was much as possible.
I am looking at senior year in the perspective of the many traditions we get to participate in: First day pictures, spirit week, halloween, Senior sunrise, bagels and locks, final bell, senior prom, graduation, etc.
To all those who are starting senior year, good luck! May we get into the schools of our choice, and hopefully make good memories we can look back on and cherish!
