By Jada Johnson
As the school year comes closer to an end, my feelings are all over the place. I am not sure if I am supposed to be sad, because this is the last time I will be going to school with the same people I have since elementary school, or if I should be happy, because I’m starting a new chapter in my life. Right now I feel both. In the middle of all that, I am stressed. I also think I am starting to run low on motivation, so I have to remind myself of all the goals I have set in my head. Before our time here at school together is over, I think we should all consider doing these things.
1. Dream Big
I think everyone should remind themselves of all the goals they are working towards everyday. Make them big too. We are all going to die sometime so why would we want to leave this Earth without doing everything we wanted to do while we’re here. I know some things, like money or work, can get in the way of some of these dreams, but if there is a will, there is a way.
2. Relax
I catch myself stressing over the smallest things that won’t even matter in a week. Why are we spending our time arguing and stressing when we should be taking in every moment we can? We need to be making the best memories we will be able to tell our grand kids about when we are old and wrinkly. Everything will eventually work out the way it’s supposed to.
3. Keep Going
These last few weeks have me tired all the time and the last thing I want to do is my homework. All I can think about is the summer tan I will have soon and spending my days at the pool. I don’t want to think about what color plates I want for my grad party or how much missing work I still need to finish.
4. Change the Way You Think
You choose to be happy. You choose who you surround yourself with. You choose how you want to live your life. Everyday we wake up is a fresh start. Someone else in the world is dying, someone is being born, someone is finding out they are sick and someone is falling in love. It sounds cheesy, but live everyday like it’s your last. Do the things you are too scared to do. These last few weeks I wake up and am not in the mood to go to school anymore. Then I remember this is the last time I will ever be a student walking through these halls. Someday I will be telling stories about when I was in high school, which is right now. We need to take in these moments before they are gone forever.
5. Saying Goodbyes
With graduation comes good byes, graduation parties and the excitement of summer starting. In a few short months some of my closest friends will be moving hundreds of miles away. It hasn’t really hit me yet that I won’t be seeing them everyday anymore or that we are even old enough to be in college and be able to live on our own. Don’t forget to tell everyone how much you will miss them and have a few more good times before you go your separate ways.
6. Say Your Thank You’s
We should start thanking our favorite teachers, and even our not-so-favorite teachers for teaching us the past four years, even if we’re difficult to teach at times. They have taught us lessons about ourselves we didn’t even realize we learned. Thank your parents or family for everything they’ve helped you with and done for you. Thank your friends for always being there for you.