Alex Coss is a senior at John Marshall High School. This story originally appeared on the JMHS Blog.
In my life I make decisions every day. Some may be as simple as what to wear or as difficult as what I want to do for the rest of my life. Senior year is one of the best but most stressful years of school. Besides dealing with regular, everyday high school events, I also have to think about college and the future.
What’s next? This is one question I ask myself every day.
Four years seem like an eternity, but really, I blinked my eyes; now it’s senior year, and I’ve already received my cap and gown. Freshman year I thought I would go to WVU and room with my best friend. In reality, we will end up exactly 215 miles away from each other. Life is unpredictable.
Senior year is a year full of lasts: last Friday night football game, last homecoming, last prom, last sleepover, and last crazy night with all my best friends. It is also a year of goodbyes to my friends going to different colleges from mine, and to my family whom I won’t see every day anymore.
As my senior year ends, I would like to give my wisdom to next year’s seniors:
- Love Your Parents – They have been and always will be your No. 1 supporter / fan. Appreciate what your mom does for you: doing your laundry, making you do your homework, and just being there when it feels like your whole world is crashing down. Also appreciate when your dad makes you go in the garage and help him with tools, and work on the car; don’t complain. You will miss those days.
- Appreciate Your Annoying Siblings – I know some days all you want to do is yell and scream at them, but believe it or not, you will miss them. They have been there your whole life, and it will be completely different without them. Tell them you love them and thank them because they have helped shape the person you are today.
- Don’t Rush – “Senioritis” is real, and some days all you want more than anything is to be done with high school, and as I sit here writing this with only a week left of high school, I want to tell you don’t rush your senior year. Graduation will be here before you know it, so enjoy senior year and do not spend each and every day wishing you weren’t here. High school is as good as you make it, and you get only one chance. so make sure you take it all in.
- Do Not Sweat the Small Stuff – What is said and done is done. Be happy. High school is some of the best four years of your life, and you get only one chance, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Finally, to the Class of 2016, this is it. Some of us have been together since the very beginning, and some we just met in high school, but the last four years would not have been as great as they were without you. It’s been fun watching you all grow into the people you are now. I wish you guys nothing but the best of luck in everything you do.
Thank you for everything! And good luck to future seniors!
Sincerely,
Alek Coss
