As you slowly approach the deadline for early applications and the weight of your future becomes more than just a nightmare, it may seem like everything is against your favor. The importance of grades, GPAs, extracurriculars, community service hours, and personal achievements continuously add additional pressure. Worrying about the future no longer feels like a problem for your future self, but rather a current concern. Not everyone around you may be as supportive as you wish them to be and the reality of growing up starts to hit you. You’re worried about every small detail, you’re tired, you’re stressed, but also unsure how to break down all your struggles into manageable pieces. Does this sound like you?
To the seniors reading this: Stop and Reflect. We have survived a dozen school years. We have experienced the ups and downs of friendships, of education, and of life. Although there are so many challenges that we have yet to face, there are also many opportunities, relationships, and greater moments of happiness that we have yet to experience.
Sure, right now is indeed an important time in our life. It determines where we go and shapes some of our experiences. However, it won’t be the only defining moment of our future. Our high school GPA, class rank, and test scores don’t define us. Our extracurriculars, community service hours, and summer involvements don’t define us. So to keep it short: Don’t stress about the future.
Keep forming connections with your teachers and peers. Keep learning and trying your best. And keep having fun at dances, sports games, and school events. Life is unpredictable, so make the most out of it. You don’t need to know what you want to do in the future. You don’t have to have perfect grades. You don’t need to worry excessively about the future. Your time in high school, although still important, isn’t the only factor in determining your future. Even if you’re not completely satisfied with your high school academics or involvements, you won’t fail in life. You won’t be unsuccessful.
Although you may have heard from your parents or grandparents that going to a good college determines your future, the success in your future all depends on you. It doesn’t depend on the college you go to (if you decide to go to one), your high school achievements, or the little mistakes that you might make from time to time. It depends on your determination, perseverance, and courage. There are many people who didn’t go to college or didn’t get good grades, yet they are millionaires, celebrities, and famous athletes.
Although this may seem cliché, a quick Google search can help identify these individuals. For example, Bill Gates dropped out of college and is currently a billionaire who is working to give his wealth back to society through the Gates Foundation. LeBron James, a professional basketball player, never went to college but is still well known by millions. Albert Einstein dropped out of high school, but made scientific discoveries that still impact us today.
So overall, stop and reflect. Don’t stress too much about the future and keep having fun. Everyone has regrets. Everyone is stressed. Everyone is worried about something. If you’re reading this and aren’t a senior, save this as a message for the future. It doesn’t matter what grade you’re in or how old you are; you are not defined by a single experience.
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
– Arianna Huffington
