Dear resident,
During the winter holidays, I visited my high school to drop off my book to former teachers. It was an odd experience, wandering the halls at 25 years old. It’s been 7.5 years since I’ve walked these halls as a student. Since I’ve sat in those tiny desks, eaten on those benches, written essays, taken calculus tests, and performed chemistry experiments.
The prominent thought that returned to me as I walked by the big bear statue near the front of the school was this: There is so much beyond high school.
I wish I could go back and tell myself this. When high school felt like my whole world, I wish I had known how small it really was. I wish I had known how many opportunities existed outside those walls, how many adventures awaited me, and how many friendships I had yet to form.
High school is a strange place—or at least mine was. You get glimpses of the real world, but you mostly exist within a bubble. You think there is one perfect path to getting the future you want. You think you have to conform to popular trends and hide parts of yourself to blend in. When you fail a test or fight with a friend or don’t make varsity, it feels so consequential. You can struggle to see beyond the present moment—or understand just how big and beautiful the outside world is.
When I got to college, I began to shed many of the limiting beliefs I had developed in high school. I sought out friendships with people who were different from me, not the same. I valued authenticity over popularity. I let curiosity lead me rather than a fear of failure. I tried new things because they sounded interesting, not just to boost my resume. I traded the pursuit of success and approval for a desire for purpose and connection.
I am grateful for the many ways I have grown since high school. And, I wish I could go back and remind myself what really matters—and everything that doesn’t. I would tell myself it’s okay to feel the big feelings. Grieve the disappointments and the losses. Let your heart break. But remember, this too shall pass. There is so much beyond these four years. Life is so much more than high school.
What about you? What are the beliefs you held in high school, and how might your college experiences be shifting your perspective? How have your values changed? Who do you see when you look in the mirror? And what would you tell your younger self about life after high school?
Thoughtfully,
Elizabeth, Your RA