Since Turning 18

by Elaine Thimyan, Layout Editor

Here’s the thing about transcripts. Most colleges want your official transcripts, and the last full year transcript you’re going to have before you have to put in your applications will be your junior year transcripts. You’ll submit your UNofficial senior year transcripts when the time comes but colleges need/require the cemented grades. So take the challenging classes your junior year. Junior year sucks, but you WILL get through it, and it will be okay.

I know that it’s weird for this piece of advice to be so high, but honestly, ambiance videos have helped me with studying, sleeping and overall focusing SO much. Regular music makes me distracted. Game music in particular helps, it’s because game music is tailored to help you focus on the game. My top 3 favorites are any Legend of Zelda Breath of the wild ambiance, this one is my favorite, no thoughts head empty, and Zeniba’s Cottage from Spirited Away (this one doesn’t have music it’s just “ASMR” sounds), but there are a ton out there.

If dances and football games are really not your thing, no worries! But don’t not go just because you think you’re cooler and above it. It’s actually really fun if you have the right people. Besides, when you look back on it, it won’t be as cringy as you think, and you’ll make some fun memories out of it.

At some point in life, someone is going to hurt you, really hurt you. Forgiveness is a broad and nuanced idea and means different things to different people. Try to understand what it means for you. Does forgiveness mean closure? Do you need the apology in order to forgive? Do you need space in order to forgive? Realizing forgiveness is an action, and something you work at, sometimes everyday, is hard, but it gives you a better understanding of the people around you and yourself.

When senior year comes you are going to have options and opportunities waiting for you. I know finances is a big contributor to where you go, just remember that it’s not all that makes up your choice. If you want to go to college out of state, go to college out of state. Make the choices best for you not based on what anyone else wants.

Yeah, we all know you lose friends when you enter high school and when you leave, but sometimes you just outgrow friendships. You and this person are heading on two different life paths. Your goals and values will change and not everyone will be along for the ride. It isn’t always a big falling out, one day you just realize you haven’t talked to someone and that they’re in a new social circle. It doesn’t mean either of you failed each other or you did something wrong. It just happens.

You don’t understand the “if he wanted to he would” statement until someone actually does because he wants to. From the bottom of my heart up until the beginning of senior year, I believed that romantic relationships, and even some friendships, with men were supposed to be confusing, hurtful and draining. It’s not. You are worth the value and the time, don’t settle for a bond that’s mentally and emotionally draining.

My body looks completely different than it did a year ago. I assume it’s the same for guys, but I speak for the girls that you need to know your body as a woman will not, and should not, look as it did when you were 16. It’s jarring and I still struggle with it, if you feel insecure now you aren’t alone. Everyone is still beautiful, you’re just growing up.

This is the best thing I ever learned in high school. You don’t have to know who you are right now, what you like, what you want to do after high school, what you want out of life. You are not even close to the peak of your life, and the choices you make will wear away within time. You don’t have to have the answers and you don’t owe answers to anyone in your life but you.