During this unconventional graduation season, I’ve been reflecting on my memories from high school. It’s been 3 years since I graduated even though it feels like a few months ago. College has flown by and I’m already in my senior year which is insane. When I was still high school, I tried to listen to all the advice given to me. I knew the end was coming soon and tried to enjoy it to the best of my ability. While all my classmates were ecstatic to graduate and get out of those walls, I was afraid to leave the comfort I knew within those walls. However, the end came and I was forced to start a new chapter of my life. I definitely miss a lot of things about high school, but a lot of good has come from my time in college. I’m especially glad I finally learned how to decently do my hair and discovered the difference eyebrows can make. Despite how I looked in high school, I still have SO many fond memories from those 4 quick years. If you’re still in high school, PLEASE take everyone’s advice and enjoy it while it lasts. As a now college senior, here are some things I still miss 3 years later…
- My friends
You don’t realize how much free time you really have in high school until you graduate. I always jokingly say “I actually had friends in high school”. Although I have friends now, I don’t get the time to hang out with them a lot. I get excited when I just pass one of my best friends at school because I barely get the chance to see her. In high school, you’re stuck with the same people all day every day. Now my schedule is full of bouncing between campus and work. Meanwhile, my friends’ schedules always manage to conflict with mine. I never knew the value of getting to spend just 5 minutes with my friends. So take it from me, enjoy being stuck with your friends for hours a day because planning as an adult is an absolute nightmare. - Sports
I played sports all throughout high school. Even though I wasn’t the best and most committed athlete of all time, I still enjoyed playing sports for fun and it kept me active. I was really only good at basketball which I played for 10 years. I miss playing basketball a lot and I’ve been trying to find a way to get involved with it again. I also played softball, soccer, and volleyball but there wasn’t much potential there. There are so many people who play some type of sport in high school but a significantly lower number actually go on to play at a college level. There’s a part of me that wishes that I had been a bit better at basketball so I would be skilled enough to play at the college level but then I remember all the homework I have while I’m standing at work and I remember why I wouldn’t be able to anyway. (I seriously don’t know how student-athletes do it) Instead, I just remember the fun times I had traveling with friends to different schools and playing the sports I loved. - Clubs
Okay, so this kinda has to do with having available time again. I’m not saying that it’s hard to get involved in clubs and organizations in college because it’s actually quite easy. There are so many clubs to choose from in college that there are definitely a couple that you would fit right into. However, in high school, I was involved in almost every club and was usually an officer as well. I was SO involved in high school, because I had the time to be. Now, before I make any commitments to clubs, I have to make sure I have the time and availability to do so. Between school and my part-time job, I don’t have a lot of time left to be active on campus. I hate limiting my availability at work but I wanted to join something, so I changed my schedule around a bit to squeeze in Beta Alpha Psi. I was recently appointed to an officer position which will require some more rescheduling but I’m glad I joined. However, there are so many other organizations I wish I could get involved with but I simply don’t have the time. Figure out what all your schedule allows then go for it! - My high GPA
R.I.P. to that 3.94 GPA. I graduated from a small school as Valedictorian and it’s still one of my biggest accomplishments. I obviously cared about my grades in high school and pretty much had straight A’s the entire 4 years. However, college came and I quickly learned how to take some losses and move on. I still care about my grades and am making A’s but definitely not straight A’s. I learned that a B would, in fact, not actually kill me. Shocking honestly. - Not having to study
Speaking of grades, getting A’s was definitely a breeze in high school. I learned I have absolutely no study skills when I started college, simply because I didn’t need to in high school. When it comes to college coursework, you better study or reap the consequences. It is a must and I’m still trying to find the best method of studying 3 years later. I’m not having much luck and my more poor GPA is suffering because of it. - Not having a part-time job
Ah, yes. The days when I didn’t have a job. Because I played sports almost all year long, I didn’t always come directly home after school but I’d much rather have practice than have to go to work for 4+ hours. I miss coming home, watching YouTube, and having no responsibilities. Although, once I got my job my step-dad wasn’t able to hound me about it anymore. The money is a plus too! - Having money
Did I mention money? So I have a part-time job that pays pretty well and I get decent hours. Sounds nice, right? Having all that money feels great…UNTIL COLLEGE TAKES IT ALL!! College costs a ridiculous amount of money and even though I have been blessed with a couple of scholarships, I often still have some out-of-pocket expenses I have to cover. That paycheck was still so young… - Sleep
What is sleep? I try to prioritize sleep and get the recommended amount each night but that’s a challenge. Between my procrastination of schoolwork and the fact that I close at work most of the time, my sleep schedule definitely suffers a bit. I miss the days where I would come home at a reasonable hour and didn’t have any homework to do since I finished it in study hall. What a time. Also, naps in math class were bomb! Ya gotta miss it. - Field trips
I miss the days of getting my mom to sign a permission slip so I could take a day trip to some historic site somewhere and also so I could skip out on a day of school. I mean, I have traveled to Ireland and Louisville, Kentucky while in college but I had a lot of work to catch up on that I missed. However, I did take more field trips in one year of high school than I have all 3 years of college. So who’s really having more fun? - Teachers
Finally, I miss having teachers that got to know you personally and cared about each individual student. My school was smaller so the teachers had close relationships with all the students and truly cared about each and every one of them. They knew your passions and interests as well as your strengths and weaknesses. They were there to help mold you and they did an excellent job of it. Professors in college usually only learn your name if you do something significant (i.e. speak up in class, go to their office hours, etc.) My classes aren’t usually too big so most professors eventually learn my name (at least for the semester) but classes that get 100+ students, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. College professors have so many students they don’t have the time to help you the way a high school teacher would. Professors are usually more than willing to assist you if you come to them but it’s nothing like the help of a dedicated high school teacher.
Even though there’s a lot of things I miss about high school, I’ve come to love this new chapter of my life and what it holds. Life was definitely simpler in high school but college life isn’t all that bad. If you’re still in high school, I highly encourage you to make every second of it count. I also want to say that if you’re like me and are afraid of graduating, don’t be. It’s not as scary as it sounds on the other side. No matter what chapter of your life you’re in, make the most of it!! I’ve come to learn time is so so precious and it goes by fast. So, what memory are you going to make today?
Later taters! 🥔✌🏻 – Kayla xx
Taylor Tot 