As I soak in my final weeks of high school, one question lingers in my mind: What was the biggest lesson that I have learned these past four years? I certainly don’t remember everything I’ve learned from my AP World or Chemistry classes, I don’t remember all of the conversations I had with teachers and friends, and I probably don’t remember any of the questions that were on my last math test. So, I question, what can I take from my four years at Great Neck?
When I look back on high school, I remember long days and long nights, eating lunch with my friends in the courtyard, and living life with one goal in mind—get into my dream school at whatever cost. I took every quiz, test, and AP with the bright glimmering hope of college and my imagined future. I even began to picture myself opening my college acceptance letters when I was studying. I wrote down affirmations in my journal because I believed that I was only living in high school to get myself to success.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t get into my dream school. I did everything right, though. A straight-A student with tons of extracurriculars and killer essays. While I am so happy with where my path has led to, I can’t help but feel an ounce of regret. Why did I spend so much time worrying about an uncertain future?
In high school, I spent so much time saying, “I can’t wait.” “I can’t wait for the summer.” “I can’t wait for lunch.” “I can’t wait to be a senior.” “I can’t wait to graduate.” Sometimes, the waiting came at the expense of the present.
The four years we spent at South High are so finite—so short. Looking back, I wish I spent more time enjoying every moment surrounded by my hometown friends. While my high school journey was filled with highs and lows (some of the lows being so low that the highs seemed insignificant), I still grew into a person that is ready for college and all that my life will offer. I am content with where my path has led me. It’s not what I imagined; but, it’s better than what I daydreamed about throughout my underclassmen years. Please, take my experience as a beacon of hope for your future as well.
Do not fear the future. Do not manipulate the journey. Your chips will fall where they are meant to. For every freshman anxious to graduate, there is a senior that wishes they could turn back the clock for just one more week. Take advantage of what South High has to offer and what you can learn from our community. For one day, it will all be gone, and there won’t be any more I can’t waits.
The biggest lesson I learned in high school? To take in every minute. The future is unknown but the present will soon be past. If you spend your present longing for the future, the present becomes wasted.
