It’s finally the second semester of our senior year. We’ve spent the last few months looking towards the future—deliberating where we want to go for college, what we want to major in, and wondering if we’re making the right decision—while perhaps spending time thinking about the past as well. I should’ve studied harder for that AP test. I should’ve joined more clubs in freshman year. I should’ve, I should’ve, I should’ve… Most of us have experienced some type of regret in the past few months, our minds consumed with negative thoughts of what should’ve been. We’ve been pulled back into the past and forward into the future, but we need to start seeing life for what it is. It is time to start living in the moment.
Cliché, you may think. A phrase said so many times that it may simply fly through your head. But this is different—really different. For most of us, a huge portion of high school is dedicated to doing homework or worrying about something we now consider trivial. But it’s the second semester of your senior year. You will never again experience life as it is now. You’re not bound to achieving stellar grades, nor do you carry the responsibilities that come with being an adult. That isn’t to say you should skip class or completely fall off the face of the Earth—you still need to graduate. At this moment, time may seem infinite, yet it is not. Now, what are you going to do with the time you have left? With 122 days left until graduation, how will you make the most of your senior year?
Hang out with your friends.
In the next few years, your personal desires, professional aspirations, and a multitude of other factors will send you to different places than your friends. You may find yourself thousands of miles away from the person you’ve sat on the bus with every day for the past four years. As the threads of our lives unravel, they will pull us in different directions, and as much as we may try to tug back, we don’t know what life has in store for us. Use the next few months to deepen and solidify the friendships you cherish. Plan exciting hangouts and commit to them. Show up for those you care about.
Try something new at school.
I’m a senior! It’s too late to try something new. This sentence probably ran through your mind just now. As scary as it may sound, you may find that you really enjoy embracing school activities. The best part is that you don’t have to do it alone. Dress up for Spirit Week or go see a sports game with your friends. If you label yourself as someone who “doesn’t watch sports games” or “has never participated in Spirit Week,” then you will always carry that identity with you. You have the choice to be whoever you want to be, so try something new for a change. You will never grow as a person if you keep a closed mind for the rest of your life. It’s never too late to give yourself a chance to try something new.
Plan a senior trip.
Celebrate your high school friendships and jumpstart your independent college adventures with a senior trip. A senior trip is a domestic or international trip that graduating seniors take with their friends before heading off to college. Without the guidance of parents, graduating seniors have the freedom to plan a trip and explore a place for a few days. Take a road trip, head to a national park, or explore a big city. Stay close if you want to, but whatever you choose, start planning early. The longer you wait to plan, the more expensive the trip will get; plane fares, hotels, and other expenses all add up with time. Also, some hotels and car rentals have minimum age requirements for check-in. Thorough research will make for a more enjoyable trip.
Spend time with your family.
After leaving for college, many students only visit their families during holidays or seasonal breaks. Take advantage of the time you have by spending quality time with your family. If you don’t sit down for dinner with your family, try to fit in a meal or two each week where everyone eats together. Spend a Saturday at a nature preserve. Instead of doom-scrolling at home, join a family member in the living room for a movie.
Embrace spontaneity.
As much as planning makes for fun hangouts, some of the best memories come from the hangouts we commit to on the spot. So sometimes, ditch planning. Hang out with your friends after school instead of waiting for the weekend. If an opportunity presents itself, reach out and go for it!
Until the spring flowers bloom, we will continue to push through the seemingly endless routine that we’ve grown accustomed to: heading to class after class and doing it all over again the next day. We’re still a few months from APs, and the more exciting days, like prom and graduation, seem so far away. We’re still expected to be “locked in.” Whether awaiting a college decision or waiting for June to roll around, we’re all in a weird state of limbo. But remember: the negatives of school won’t last forever, but the same goes for the good times. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Take these snippets of advice to heart and make the most of your senior year.
