While some seniors have been here for three years and some 13, the finality of high school’s end looms near in the last weeks of April. May will bring Senior Project, June will bring graduation, and then begins something different: a life beyond the walls of SPA.
Some find the weight of saying goodbye to a place and period so significant to be nearly suffocating, while others are eagerly counting down the days until they leave the building for good. Regardless of where individuals fall on this spectrum, the end of one’s time at this school only comes around once. Thoughtfully consider how to leave high school well and finish this time with harmony, gratitude and celebration.
To make the most of this last week, here are some measures to try on.
Reject gossip and drama. The negativity that these practices breed is potent. Instead of spreading rumors as small talk or as a way to connect with others, redirect these conversations to something positive. Do not spend the last days of school fostering drama, rather, reminisce on memories with classmates, make plans to spend time with one another or collaborate to finish out remaining projects or test-studying.
Verbalize appreciation for teachers. Make time to connect with the faculty and staff who have been supportive. Stop by their offices, make a point to say hello in the halls or write them a letter of gratitude. Reflect on the adults who were encouraging in times of difficulty and were helpful resources in and outside the classroom.
Celebrate success, past and present. Bask in the pride of having nearly completed high school. Let the significance of such a massive milestone sink in. Congratulate self and peer accomplishments—completing assignments, making decisions about future plans and more. Each achievement, whether big or small, has contributed to the manifestation of this moment in time. Nothing is too small or insignificant to acknowledge.
Leave high school with the comfort of knowing the year finished with positivity and joy. Focus on gratitude as a gateway for meaningful farewells. Exiting high school with intention and grace credits past hard work and commitment to the school community. It also prevents a future self from having regrets about incomplete goodbyes that often follow a lack of closure. Leaving well is a way to honor both one’s past and future self.
