To say that senior year of high school hits you like a ton of bricks, would be the understatement of the brick-hitting-century. With (most likely) ramping up difficulties in classes, the college application process, and just keeping up with the usual teenage things, it can get to be very overwhelming very quickly. I can not count all the times I have seen fellow seniors swearing they will never make it in life before having a small break down and eventually pulling themselves back together.
I am sure there are plenty who breeze on through their senior year dealing with obstacles left and right with ease, though that seems to not be the case with most. In all the drama and heat of years spent at Malden High School, it is easy to become overwhelmed if one is not properly equipped for what they get themselves into. This is to be expected, and overcoming this is part of the transition from teenage years into adulthood, however this sometimes overshadows things in life that are just as important as keeping up with grades and “getting involved.”
Take a moment, and just take a breathe. Chances are, if you are reading this you are already taking away from what you consider to be precious time that could be spent elsewhere getting ahead of the curve. It is easy to forget all the other important aspects of life when one is so focused on being productive. Sure, grades and productivity are important undisputably, but it is not all there is to high school.
I find people often forget the importance of simple things like relationships built with classmates/faculty, taking a moment to relax and unwind, or even (corny as it may sound) appreciating the beauty of a day. It is not necessarily that these aspects are taken advantage or neglected, but simply underappreciated.
Most students when asked about goals in life beyond MHS, would most likely include something along the lines of being “successful” or having an “effective” lifestyle, but these words are as lifeless and cold as the numbers of something like a GPA or an SAT score. Sure they mean something, but do they really mean something to the students?
Maybe it is just a result of an overdose of optimism and naivety, but I believe goals should focus ultimately on what makes someone happy. It is an unorthodox word in the world of work and education, but really, what good are goals of success and effectivity if they hold no passion in their presence, no joy in their letters, no life in their achievement?
Whatever happened to the time when innocence still existed in high school students, giving them the capability to dream of wonderful and beautiful things? Maybe it is foolish to prize these values over what is going to be more effective and useful in the long run, maybe it is foolish not to prize said values. Either way, just remember in all the hectic commotion that is high school, that it is alright to pursue what makes you happy, as opposed to what makes you productive.
