Dear Class of 2021

Emma Nicholson, Writer

Dear Class of 2021,

You have now completed 3/4 years of your high school experience! Now it is almost time for your senior year: the fun year. The year where you get to make your final impression on teachers and classmates. The year you get to make decisions about where you will spend the next part of your life. The year you say a lot of goodbyes, but also a lot of hellos to your future and the joys that will come with it. The year you celebrate your accomplishments, and get your hard work recognized with a diploma and Pomp and Circumstance.

No one knows what the fall might look like as far as school, social distancing, this global pandemic, and life in general. We do know, that due to the nature of this medical situation, it will likely be different than you expected. But if we have learned anything from the past few months, it is that “different” can be an extraordinary thing, if you let it. And we hope you are able to embrace this upcoming year in any way possible, because this is your year.

Even in a non-pandemic world, your senior year won’t be exactly like High School Musical 3 said it would be. You are going to stress about college applications, and your future plans, you are going to have off days, and you are going to spend hours agonizing about what you want your senior quote to be (just me?) But amidst the slight stress, hopefully you are able to experience the immense joy that comes with senior year. The last homecoming, senior banquet, college decision day, senior week celebrations, and of course, graduation.

But these celebrations will not necessarily be the things you miss most, looking back on your high school life. More than anything, you’ll miss walking down the halls with your friends, and saying hi to your favorite teachers on the way. You’ll miss those friendships formed from classes that you may not have otherwise experienced. You’ll miss the joy of getting a good spot in the side lot and spending time with friends in the library before school starts. You’ll miss learning about your favorite subject from your favorite teachers, and the feeling when you ace a difficult test. These are the moments you’ll miss, the day-to-day joys of being a high school student. So above all, do your best to enjoy the little moments this year, because those will be things you will miss.

As you head into your final year of high school, the class of 2020 has a little more advice we want to share with you based on our experience:

“Take a step back from all the stress of school and college and the future to enjoy the now. Make the most of every moment and really, truly enjoy it.”

“Senioritis is real! Stay focused and finish strong. It it will be over before you know it.” 

“Expect anything.”

“Do not take anything for granted.”

“Treat every day like it is your last day.” 

“Make sure that if high school ended today you could say that you’re proud of how people will remember you.” 

“Focus and work hard, but do not overwork yourself. You will end up at a school that you love.” 

“Say thank you to your favorite teachers and let them know they are appreciated.”

“Enjoy every minute of high school, all of the ups and downs.”

“Make every moment count.”

“Enjoy your senior year and the time you have with your friends. Senior year flies by.” 

“Don’t blink.”

Senior year goes faster than we all wish it would, but at the end of the day, it is what you make of it. So make it a good one.

Class of 2021, we are rooting for you, and hoping that you get to experience senior year to the fullest. We know what it is like to miss out on something you have been looking forward to, but we hope that our resilience in the face of this challenge is inspiration for you to move forward with your senior year in any way possible.

Welcome to senior year!

-The Class of 2020