Dear class of 2027, 

You’re probably how I was right before my senior year: nervous, excited, and all the other emotions in the book, let’s be honest. Or, maybe you just don’t care. You’ve probably heard it all from the seniors this year. “Make the most of it, time flies, have fun”, all of those cliche sayings. But honestly most of us this year did not believe time could fly by this fast; it feels like a year went by in two months. But in the end, we all have things that we wish someone would have told us walking into this season of life. 

First, it’s okay for things to not go as planned. Trust me, as a control freak and perfectionist, this was hard to even say. Not every moment is going to be straight out of High School Musical. In fact, most of it won’t be, which was another hard thing for me to accept. 

You’re going to have classes you don’t like, teachers you don’t get along with, you may lose a few friends, and not every season will be your best. With that being said, this doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. However, it does mean you’re growing and learning. Most of your best moments and memories will come from the things you least expect. 

Next, get involved. Again, I know it sounds cliche but I can’t stress it enough. But, don’t just do this for college admissions or to look cool, do it because trying new things can lead to loving something you never considered loving earlier. Join that club you’ve been interested in, try out for that sports team that you’ve been too scared to join. You never know what could happen and the odds of you regretting not joining are way higher than the odds of you regretting joining. 

That leads to my next point. Do everything. Now, I don’t mean try to be superhuman. I mean go to those football games, go on a “side quest”, talk to those people you sit next to that you never got the chance to. But, enjoy every moment. It becomes easy to say you’ll do it another time, but truthfully, you’re running out of time. Again, you’ll regret not doing it more than you’ll regret doing it. Who knows. You could make a new friend, find a new hobby, experience something that happens once in a lifetime. You never know. 

But most of all, take care of yourself. You are not defined by your GPA, what you’re involved in, or your future plans. These things are important but they’re not worth risking everything for (I would know). Make sure you are getting enough sleep, doing things that make you happy and most of all don’t rush through senior year. 

Make every moment count. 

Best, 

The student who wished she would have listened.