Thoughts & Words of Advice From a High School Senior

Were you awesome in high school?

2400 SAT

36 ACT

5 on the AP

This is awesome, yes.

But is it really

Awesome?

Awesome is dancing through hallways

With your best friend.

Awesome is class pride,

Cheering for your classmates at pep rallies.

Awesome is learning about life

From a teacher who acts like a friend.

Awesome is the football team and cheerleaders

Supporting the marching band.

Awesome is working hard in your classes

Then going to sports practice,

Or music rehearsal,

Or club events,

To do what you love.

Awesome is staying at school until dinner

In order to clean classrooms and plan class events.

Awesome is encouraging notes

On bathroom mirrors.
Awesome is talking to the girl

Eating alone at lunch.

Awesome is the musical students

singing sweet melodies and strumming strings in the stairwells.

Awesome is watching the kid from math class

Place first in the state championship.

Awesome is receiving the grade

You worked so hard for.

Awesome is watching your teachers

Dance at assemblies.

Awesome is face paint and homemade posters

For rallies and games.

Awesome is cheering for the freshmen

Because you were embarrassed to be one before.

Awesome is the kid who videotaped

The first day of freshman year.

Awesome is the exciting anticipation of

The final point,

The final performance,

The final stroke on the canvas.

Awesome is sliding down grassy hills

On old cardboard from classrooms.

Awesome is playing basketball with your friends

And beating the class bullies.

Awesome is groups of students

Educating other students about how important their health is.

Awesome is that one time you learned so much

From what seemed to be the hardest point in your life.

Awesome is sneaking snacks

And sharing them with the teacher when you’re caught.

Awesome is watching your classmates

Pursue careers they’ll own one day.

Awesome is congratulating the robotics and tech kids

Knowing that they will invent the future.

Awesome is taking a week

To appreciate staff members who dedicate their year to you.

Awesome is students holding posters on the side of the road

For a “Feel Good Friday.”

Awesome is giant goodbye cards

For a classmate moving away.

Awesome is enduring drama 

To participate in something you enjoy doing.

Awesome is burning lungs and dripping sweat

Working hard to represent yourself, school, and family well.

Awesome is showing your faith

By praying for students at your school.

Awesome is students walking across the gym

To apologize to each other.
Awesome is students

Raising the flag over the school every morning.

Awesome is students performing, producing, painting,

Pursuing their passions.

So who will remember awesome scores and grades?

Don’t get me wrong, they’re important

And awesome.

But not as much awesome as the awesome people

You surround yourself with

And the awesome memories

You create.

Find the awesome.

Spend time with what matters.

Take pictures,

Dance around,

Go adventuring.

It’s really up to you,

You can either decide that high school sucks

Or you can make it awesome.

Will you be awesome?