An Open Letter to My Graduating Seniors

Thursday. Hello. 

It has been a very long week.

School has had its ups and downs and we are trying to prepare seniors for their last day 

which is TODAY!

I decided I want to share some advice and wise words with my seniors who are graduating.

Senior Picture 2009

Here is my open letter about graduating to my seniors.

To My Seniors:

The time has come for us to say goodbye. Your time at HHS come to an end and it is time for you to start a new adventure. Just four short years ago you started your high school journey as a timid freshman. Now think back to your fist day of high school. Do you remember if you were nervous? Do you remember what you wore? All things you were worried about soon changed as you started classes, made new friends and began understanding all the ins and outs of HHS.

Sophomore year, you had your feet wet and ready to tackle year two. You probably found classes you liked and class you didn't. Maybe at this point you had taken elective classes 

that you truly love and these had become your passion. You probably started drivers ed and were learning how to drive with all your behind the wheels.

Junior year came and went quickly. With honors and AP classes, you were busy. You were busy driving to and from school. Being involved in school and continuing to make friendships that would last a lifetime. This year was filled with some college visits and lots of talk about what you

wanted to do in the future. By the end of Junior year you were ready to be a the big kids on campus and ruling the school. Little did you know time was flying and sooner or later those colleges you looked at, would have to be narrowed down to one.

August 2016 was warm and full of school activities. Back to school, Friday night football and all your friends getting together because of course senior year everyone came together as one big group. No snow days this year, which helped this school year fly by. After the holidays, your main focus was your friends, school and picking out that dream college. Spring break with your friends was one to remember. Your best friends celebrating the best times you have had together over the past four years. Coming back from break, your senioritis sure kicked in :) You were ready to graduate, but you still had work to put in. Your senior english paper was a killer and you were so grateful when your presentation was over. The end of April brought prom and in a blink of an eye May was here and you only had 11 days left.

At this point you are counting down the seconds until you do not have to set a 6 am alarm and make it through the front doors before the 730 am bell. You cannot wait to buy all your college gear or start your summer job. How this has been "so hard" the past month and you are ready for a break. 

Well yes you deserve it. You deserve it all. You worked hard, studied, wrote papers, did presentations and read a lot over the past four years. Little did you know, these days you will be longing for when you are up until 3 am in the library studying for that psychology quiz you forgot about. High school was fun. High School was simple.

Now is the time for a new journey. Whether a 2 or 4 year college, or you have decided to go work, whatever you choose, choose do be successful and make your dreams come true.

Find something you are passionate about.

Continue to make friends and be nice to others. 

When that 730 am alarm goes off, get up and go to class for that 8 am :) 

Call home.

Come visit, HHS will always be home to you. 

Learn a new skill.

Have real conversations.

Create new memories.

Take pictures.

Explore new places.

Take a journey to somewhere you haven't been.

Get a small job at school.

Save money. Save money. Save money.

Don't buy your textbooks until you go to class.

Go to class (:

Be true to yourself.

Travel abroad if your major lets you.

No matter where life takes you, find your place in the world and make a difference.

We need good teachers, doctors, nurses, psychologists, lawyers,builders and so much more.

Fill our world with color.

Take a stand for what you believe in.

And just remember, when you feel lost, 

you can always come back home again, 

back home to HHS.

Goodbye and Good luck!

Illinois State University Graduation 2013

xo 

Ms. B