Whoever said that high school would be the best four years of your life, LIED. Whoever said that peaked in high school and never amounted to much more. Sorry, not sorry. Think about it from ages 14 - 18, the time you are barely discovering your sexuality, learning how to operate a motor vehicle, joining sports teams and clubs while balancing 7-8 school classes are the best years of your life? No. I call BS.
Yes, high school is a completely different world however it is nothing like it is shown in teen drama shows. For the first time in your schooling life, a 14-year-old freshman can be placed in a class with 18-year-old seniors. The power dynamic is off from the start, throw in being able to leave campus for lunch every day and a club for every single interest you can think about, it's a life shock. Yes, high school is cool but is not by long haul 'the best years of your life.' Stop believing that, please.
Anyone who says those words, peaked, simple enough. You haven't experienced the world at that point, moved out of your hometown, gone to college, lived on your own, gotten married or had kids or if that is not your thing, traveled the world solo. As someone who really didn't have a high school or even middle school experience due to growing up chronically ill, I can admit, that I missed out on NOTHING. I don't feel like a huge part of my life was taken from me because I was not at every Friday night football game or went to high school parties to get blackout wasted or even partied at prom and homecoming.
I did none of that. In fact, I only attended one high school game in all four years, my freshman homecoming game, where I snuck in a burrito, and spoiler alert, we lost B A D. So bad that the cheer squad was keeping 99% of the crowd entertained. I actually was only at school about 40% of the time, the other 60% I was at home ill, having some sort of surgical operation, or catching up on missed school work, I got so good that I could complete about a month worth of classwork in a 16-hour workday at home with multiple breaks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks.
I attended a STEAM/NEW TECH magnet school, where the education was focused mainly on collaboration group work, project-based learning, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics aka STEAM. When I tell you the class workload was really easy, I mean it, most of our assignments were projects that we had weeks to work on then complete. It got to the point that I started taking on more AP and Dual Credit classes to feel challenged in my work. I also had the most amazing counselor and magnet principal who were always advocating for my proper education due to being absent from school at least once a week from my health.
In my second semester of Freshman Year, I dropped out and was home-bound through my school district because my health had deteriorated so much. I don't remember much of Sophomore Year, except it was the year I lost some pretty long-term friendships due to selfish behavior and manipulation on their part. Junior Year, I missed the whole first week of school because I had my third major eye surgery the Friday before school started and was on strict bed rest. The second semester of Junior Year, the middle of March, began the pandemic of 2020 - 2021 and we didn't return to in-person learning for the semester. Classes online were so easy, that I was months ahead.
Senior Year came along in the Fall of 2020, virtually of course. I was online 30% of the time and the rest I was lazing around battling my health. Every 'Senior Year Festivity' was canceled or rearranged to be virtual with limited in-person attendance. I DID NOT CARE FOR ANY OF IT! Senior Sunrise at the beginning of the year was limited and as an immune-compromised person, I was not about to be out there with a bunch of high school kids at 5:30 am in the morning at the football field, cold, tired, hungry and alone.
Homecoming came in October 2021, Texas was 'thriving' by not listening to COVID precaution recommendations, so the dance happened. I was not going to go to a place with a bunch of sweaty kids dancing, not happening, gross.
Around this time, teachers were FORCED to go back to the school for in-person teaching and I stayed virtually online in the comfort of my own home, hanging out with my dogs. Throughout December, January, February, March, and April, Senior events kept happening, and I chose to skip, EACH. AND. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Socials, hangouts, and fundraisers, I skipped every single one of them. Like why are we fundraising for seniors when we graduate in a few months? Where is that money really going? That's the question I would like answered.
Prom came in late April, early May, in Texas fashion it was huge, I mean there was ONE (1) mega prom for all the schools in my city district PLUS the local county in New Mexico because New Mexico was very strict on Covid Restrictions causing their seniors to have no prom. Where the DJ would play mediocre early 2000/ 2010s hits, which by the way, why do all DJs play old music? That's a topic for another time. Anywho, there was no way I was about to attend this super spreader event and put myself at risk.
Prom came and went, if I remember correctly somewhere between 20-50 people caught the virus from that event. Dodged a bullet there if I must say so. Soon it was time for Senior Sunset, about 400 of our 700 graduating class attended. I, of course, did not, there were very few people wearing masks, no activities to do besides taking a picture in a cardboard painted frame and watching the sunset with 399 other people. There were also no snacks which is a crime in itself. I can watch the sunset with my dogs at home with an assortment of yummy snacks from my own kitchen.
June crept up quickly, it was time for Senior Clearance, the week where seniors are returning textbooks/laptops, making sure they completed/ received all the credits they needed in order to graduate, checked in with their counselors about plans after high school, and picked up all the gear needed for the graduation ceremony: cords, tassels, cap, and gown alike. This was my first time in 15 months back on campus, seeing my amazing counselor and magnet principal and it was all to say goodbye. The moment was bittersweet.
Two weeks later it was time for the graduation ceremony, coronavirus style, in a high school football stadium that was not my school's, outside in a black cap and gown at 9 am in the hot Texas sun, with 700 students waiting to receive their diploma. I worked my arse off for 4 years for 4 seconds on stage to receive my diploma. It was mediocre at best. The highlight of my day was eating Whataburger at 11 am in my graduation gown, then napping for two hours before a celebratory dinner. That was the closing to my high school career, it was now the time to move on to bigger and better things.
I am doing great in the five months since I graduated high school, I am currently taking business classes at my local community college for fun, plan to take some real estate courses come January 2022, and will be heading overseas in July 2022 for my bachelor degree in Animal Health and Wellness Sciences, continuing in the field for my love of STEAM. If anything, I am happier than I have ever been, in my nineteen years of life, I finally feel in control of my life as I do what I want to do education, friendship, health, and family-wise.
Yes, high school is going to open some amazing opportunities and life events for you, however, it is by no means the best years of your life. It shouldn't be. We all cringed when the 40/50-year-olds reminiscence about 'the good old days', when they played high school football, got drunk every weekend, and barely passed their classes. Those were the highlights of their life, but it shouldn't have to be yours. I know high school was not 'my glory days' by a long shot. I still have so much in my life I want to accomplish including: traveling the world, getting multiple university degrees, seeing where this blog and my social media ventures takes me, getting married, having kids, living on my own, adopting all the animals I can, making tons of new friends, learning new languages, helping others, making stupid decisions and impulsively buying things I didn't have the money for.
Those are the moments I look forward to, I am so excited to see where my life adventures take me. I am glad I didn't peak in high school, didn't care about the social events, and instead focused on my health. As it is, I only keep in touch with two people I met at that school. There is so much more to look forward to in life than four confusing years as a teenager. Everything happens the way it should. Remember that, please.
All The Love,
Serenity G. Patrick
Comments