“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11
It’s that time of year again… No, I’m not that annoying single girl moping about wedding season arriving. I’m talking about graduation – high school graduation to be more specific. Oh, the memories of eating at Snooky’s before heading over to Hanner Fieldhouse, trying accomplish the impossible task of looking good in those ugly caps, walking across the stage to shake Marty’s hand, having your mom take a million pictures of you and your closest and friends and that one (maybe two) teacher(s) whose class you actually enjoyed, and then spending that one last night with your entire class – the pretty girl who you secretly hate for no reason, the brainiac who you envy because you know you’ll be working for them one day, the guy who you’ve wanted to marry since freshman year but has only spoken five words to you, and, of course, the small group of friends who will always mean the world to you, no matter where in the world you all end up.
Like I said, it’s that time of year again. The time of year when our focus is on the graduates, but I would like to take this time to focus on the group of people who will be in this same position next year: our rising senior class. The “head honchos.” The “top of the class.” If you’re old enough to buy a lottery ticket, I know where your mind is right now. You can’t help but reminisce about your high school days. You may have been the “hot guy” who could get any girl you wanted in your small town, the “smart kid” who needed a UHAUL to help you carry all of your awards home from honors night, or just the “girl next door” who didn’t mind just blending in as you dreamt about leaving this small town behind as soon as you threw your cap into the air. And if you’re like me as you’re bringing back all those old memories, you’ve already started running to your closet to dig out your old cheerleading uniform to see how much damage Papa John’s has done to your body from those 2am deliveries from all that late-night “studying.”
Alright. I know I’m starting to sound like my parents and their “I remember when I was your age…” stories. I’ll stop and start focusing on the people who are about to make those memories so they too will one day be able to tell those same stories: the Class of 2012. Let me begin by saying that I envy every single one of you, especially the ones at Statesboro High. From the Friday night football games at Womack Field to the daily races to Sonic immediately after the final bell rings. It may all seem like the same boring routine to you now, but these experiences will one day be your fondest memories of your youth. (Yes, youth – embrace the fact that you’re still in it.)
You’re going to be receiving a lot of presents this upcoming year (girls – I hope you’re a fan of monogramming!), but you’re also going to be receiving a ton of advice. So while you’re not yet tired of listening to all of the advice that your elders will give you before you begin your young adult years, I’m going to give you some advice for your senior year – and please, please take it!
Not only are you all about to begin one of the most exciting and fun years of your life, but it’s also a year filled with big decisions, most importantly, the one that you’re going to have to tell everyone about a million times because they’ll ask you the same question a million times: “Where are you going to college?” This is what I stressed about the majority of my senior year. I worked extremely hard all through high school so I could get into any college I wanted to go to. The only problem was, I had no clue where I was supposed to go. I went back and forth between three different schools, and I even made a Facebook page where my friends could vote on where I should go. (Yes, I was that desperate.) This is exactly what you shouldn’t do your senior year. Visit all the schools you’re interested in, but let the answer come to you. I finally made my decision on what school I was going to the week that my commitment deposit* was due. I made that decision based mostly on what my parents and my teachers said I should choose. Don’t do this either. The day that the commitment deposit had to be postmarked, I changed my mind. As I was sitting in my AP Psychology class, a friend of mine who sat in front of me turned around, told me to go to UGA just as he did everyday at that same time after lunch, and I said, “Ok.” For one reason or another, the decision felt right. I quickly texted my mom, told her not to send in the commitment deposit to the other school, and sent my parents in a frenzy once again about where I would be spending my next four years. Thankfully, I made the right decision. (*Commitment deposit: the first and only check that your parents will write with excitement as a means of telling the college of your choice that they will gladly send you there for the next four years.)
Other than the last piece of advice I’ll give to you, this is the most crucial: EAT!!! Something happens to your metabolism in college… It disappears. Never again will you be able to eat a Chik-fil-A biscuit for breakfast, a personal pan pizza for lunch, Sonic mozzarella sticks for your afternoon snack, and El Som for dinner without gaining a single ounce. Never. Ever. Again. Ever. I’m serious. If your friends call you up one night and ask you to meet them for ice cream even though you’re not hungry because you just made three rounds at your church’s potluck dinner, go anyways and EAT something. I tried to start training myself to eat super healthy my senior year of high school so I would automatically eat healthy foods in college. And I still gained five pounds my freshman year. And I worked out nearly every day my first year of college. Once again – EAT!
If you’re a nerd like I was, then you’re probably planning on taking a bunch of classes at Southern. Wow. You’re so cool. News fuh-lash: you’re not. Once the other students in Professor “I-can’t-pronounce-his-Chinese-name’s” class find out you’re in high school because Professor “I-can’t-pronounce-his-Chinese-name” says, “Oh – you – you’re the joint-enrolled high school student! Let me know if you need any extra help!” in front of everyone, they’re going to stop flirting with you and inviting you to the frat parties and nightly shenanigans at Rum’s. This is when you need to embrace your seniority down the halls of SHS as much as possible by working on all those “final AP group projects” (a.k.a. the most stupid videos ever that somehow relate to what you learned in class), getting on the local news by acting ridiculous at all of the football games on the front row of the infamous SHS student section, and jumping to the front of the lunch line on Wednesdays for “Chicken Day.” Your college days will come, I promise. You’ll meet a bunch of cool new people who will tell you that they’re super rich, have traveled all over the world, were the smartest, coolest, most athletic people in high school, have met Lil Wayne at an airport, and are somehow related to Tom Cruise. You’ll never have that same group of people who you can call up on any given Friday or Saturday night to go grab a bite to eat with at El Som, sit on the tailgates of all your friends’ trucks with at that big field party, or get kicked out of the movie theater with for being rowdy and obnoxious. Most college kids think that they’re the coolest people ever, so while you’re still in high school, act stupid simply because it’s still acceptable.
I know I’ve been talking about spending your weekends filled with fun and friends, but every so often, stay home. You heard me correctly. Stay. Home. As in stay home with your parents. Don’t go to El Som. Eat your mama’s delicious dinner, because when you somehow ruin your first bowl of Ramen your freshman year and you’re crying because you don’t even have the money to go buy another pack of it, you’re going to wish that you had eaten your mom’s dinner. And while you’re sitting there eating dinner with your family, listen and laugh to your daddy’s corny jokes that he’s told you a million times. Eighteen months from now as you’re trying desperately not to cry in the middle of the library at 2am while trying to study for your first big college final that will begin in six hours, hearing your dad’s voice telling you that stupid joke in your head will help you to crack a smile and get an ounce of relaxation for a moment to allow you to recuperate and not embarrass yourself in front of all of your peers who are probably feeling the same way. And a special piece of advice to all the girls: spend a little extra time with your daddy. You’ll meet so many guys in college who, once again, are “super rich, have traveled all over the world, were the smartest, coolest, most athletic people in high school, have met Lil Wayne at an airport, and are somehow related to Tom Cruise,” but none of them will compare to the one at your dinner table with all the bad jokes. He’ll be the only man who will tell you you’re the most beautiful person in the world simply because he believes you are (instead of expecting something in return) until one particular young man will come along who will do the same. Believe me, you’ll never think more highly of your dad until you experience your first frat party.
Last and most important piece of advice: PRAY. I couldn’t do my splits or toe touches like I used to after my last semester in high school because I hadn’t done them in so long. This almost became a metaphor for my prayer life as well. Don’t put God on the back burner. If you keep your relationship with God strong now, it will help it to remain strong which is oftentimes difficult to do in college. He has brought you to one of the best times in your life, but He’s also brought you to one of the most challenging. Thank Him for the blessings, and ask Him to guide you through the hardships. I know that I could not have survived my first two years of college without Him, and I know that you won’t either. Trust me on this one. ;)
So instead of going to Hanner this weekend to watch your senior friends walk across that stage with envy, walk in embracing the fact that you have one more year to live it up. You also have one more year where you can actually make a good grade on a test just by studying really hard for it. (Sometimes that works in college, sometimes it doesn’t – college is HARD.) Go to all the football games, get something to drink at Sonic everyday after school, and enjoy the last year of stress-free existence. (If you think you’re stressed at all now, ha, you’re not.) But most of all, have fun and make memories that you will enjoy talking about to anyone and everyone who will lesson to your “I remember when I was your age…” stories.
P.S. Before you graduate, give your favorite teacher(s) a big hug and thank them for being so wonderful. You think your teachers don’t care about you now? Ha – just wait til college… And those kids who were mean to you throughout all your middle and high school years? The mean girl will end up fat with an STD or 2, and the guy will still be ridiculously hot but he still won't have a brain which will force him to drop out of college... Or you'll never have to hear from them again and you can just assume these things like me. :)
You're Gonna Miss This
by Trace Adkins
She was staring out that window, of that SUV
Complaining, saying I can't wait to turn 18
She said I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said I was just like you
You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her It's a nice place
She says It'll do for now
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and says Baby just slow down
'Cause You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
She keeps apologizin'
He says they don't bother me
I've got 2 babies of my own
One's 36, one's 23
Huh, it's hard to believe
But you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
You're gonna miss this
Yeah, you're gonna miss this
Listen to Trace Adkins' "You're Gonna Miss This"
