"The Following is an Editorial from McKenna Blair, a senior at Wakeland High in Texas. McKenna, Editor-in-Chief, of their school news site, Wakeland Access, wrote a letter to underclassmen called, "Love, A Senior" which as taken social media by storm. The Letter is for juniors as they go through their senior year of high school. For more stories from this school you can, click here." You can read the full letter by click Read More.
Dear underclassmen, You’re so excited to be a senior. Ready for prom, and college, and parties, and getting out of high school. And who can blame you? We’ve all been there, when high school looks a million miles long and you feel like you’ll never leave.
Senior year is amazing. It’s freeing. Half the time you don’t come to school, and if you do, you’re in sweats. Really, you’re on top of the world.
But.
Senior year is bittersweet. And everyone says that, and you just shrug it off, because what do we know, right?
Let me tell you what it’s like.
Your last first day of school. The smells of pencils and notebook paper, of the carpet and computers, of the people in the hallways. The chaos of passing periods, the cafeteria. Fire drills and lockdowns and tornado drills with sixty of your closest friends huddled in a bathroom. Debating about whether or not you really need to go to first period, because you really need those Chicken Minis and if you don’t get them, you might die. Never again.
This is what it feels like. Your last high school sports game. Front rows of the student section all season long. Chanting and yelling and face painting. Some nights it’s warm. Others, bitterly cold. You get to wear your letterman, feel it’s leather holding you together when, finally, your team loses and you realize: Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Athletes on the field, court, track for the last time. Running or hitting, hearing the crowd yell, shouting at your teammates, shouting at you. Abs from laughing in the locker room, slipping your jersey on over your head, lacing up your shoes. Pre-game lectures. You’ve never felt more pumped up in your life. Now the court is empty. The field is dark. The game is over. Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Your last winter break. Celebrating the holidays with your family, your friends. Who knows what you were talking about then, but from now on, it will be “how have you beens” and “what are you up to at *insert college here*” and “I missed you so much”. Those quiet nights alone in your room watching Netflix, taking for granted the loved ones less than a few steps away. Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Everything you’ve ever known. Hot pockets in the freezer. Chips in the pantry. Glasses in the cabinet next to the microwave- the one you almost caught on fire when you were 10. The way your dad sits in his favorite chair. The way your mom looks when she gets home from work. Quarreling with your siblings. Getting food on a whim with your best friend. Going on adventures to the railroad tracks. Those people you only talk to in class. Falling into your bed after a night out. Cuddling with your cat while you watch TV. Taking selfies with your dog. Knowing your way around, because this is where you’ve lived your whole life and as much as you want to get away from high school and all the drama and feelings of being stuck that come with it, this is home. This is what you know. This is where you are.
Never again.
Graduation day. The last time you will talk to 90% of the people you know. You’re all wandering around in navy robes and squared off hats. You line up in pairs. You look at the person standing next to you as you walk out. And you know as you accept that piece of paper that isn’t even the actual diploma you’ve worked thirteen years for: Never again.
This is what it feels like.
And you know now that you’re alone in the world and there’s a very big, long life ahead of you and you have to face it head on, you’ll have to go out and find a career, learn how to balance a check, make a mortgage work, take out a loan for college. Life is starting, a whole new chapter and you’re leaving everything behind you. Everything is being done for the last time because you’re about to start everything over again and you swear that you remember turning twelve like it was yesterday and are you sure you’re eighteen because you don’t feel ready to do this just yet and then suddenly you’re doing it.
And this is your life.
So before you go rushing through it, remember.
This is what it feels like.
Love,
A Senior
Senior year is amazing. It’s freeing. Half the time you don’t come to school, and if you do, you’re in sweats. Really, you’re on top of the world.
But.
Senior year is bittersweet. And everyone says that, and you just shrug it off, because what do we know, right?
Let me tell you what it’s like.
Your last first day of school. The smells of pencils and notebook paper, of the carpet and computers, of the people in the hallways. The chaos of passing periods, the cafeteria. Fire drills and lockdowns and tornado drills with sixty of your closest friends huddled in a bathroom. Debating about whether or not you really need to go to first period, because you really need those Chicken Minis and if you don’t get them, you might die. Never again.
This is what it feels like. Your last high school sports game. Front rows of the student section all season long. Chanting and yelling and face painting. Some nights it’s warm. Others, bitterly cold. You get to wear your letterman, feel it’s leather holding you together when, finally, your team loses and you realize: Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Athletes on the field, court, track for the last time. Running or hitting, hearing the crowd yell, shouting at your teammates, shouting at you. Abs from laughing in the locker room, slipping your jersey on over your head, lacing up your shoes. Pre-game lectures. You’ve never felt more pumped up in your life. Now the court is empty. The field is dark. The game is over. Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Your last winter break. Celebrating the holidays with your family, your friends. Who knows what you were talking about then, but from now on, it will be “how have you beens” and “what are you up to at *insert college here*” and “I missed you so much”. Those quiet nights alone in your room watching Netflix, taking for granted the loved ones less than a few steps away. Never again.
This is what it feels like.
Everything you’ve ever known. Hot pockets in the freezer. Chips in the pantry. Glasses in the cabinet next to the microwave- the one you almost caught on fire when you were 10. The way your dad sits in his favorite chair. The way your mom looks when she gets home from work. Quarreling with your siblings. Getting food on a whim with your best friend. Going on adventures to the railroad tracks. Those people you only talk to in class. Falling into your bed after a night out. Cuddling with your cat while you watch TV. Taking selfies with your dog. Knowing your way around, because this is where you’ve lived your whole life and as much as you want to get away from high school and all the drama and feelings of being stuck that come with it, this is home. This is what you know. This is where you are.
Never again.
Graduation day. The last time you will talk to 90% of the people you know. You’re all wandering around in navy robes and squared off hats. You line up in pairs. You look at the person standing next to you as you walk out. And you know as you accept that piece of paper that isn’t even the actual diploma you’ve worked thirteen years for: Never again.
This is what it feels like.
And you know now that you’re alone in the world and there’s a very big, long life ahead of you and you have to face it head on, you’ll have to go out and find a career, learn how to balance a check, make a mortgage work, take out a loan for college. Life is starting, a whole new chapter and you’re leaving everything behind you. Everything is being done for the last time because you’re about to start everything over again and you swear that you remember turning twelve like it was yesterday and are you sure you’re eighteen because you don’t feel ready to do this just yet and then suddenly you’re doing it.
And this is your life.
So before you go rushing through it, remember.
This is what it feels like.
Love,
A Senior