<p>I'm a senior this year, and I'm going to graduate high school in less than a month. For the past few days, I've kinda been deep in thought, and I'm really emotionally confused right now. Part of me is really excited to graduate and get high school over with -- to never have to deal with the annoying underclassmen, uber strict rules, unhealthy and mediocre food, cliquey and exclusive social scene, etc. ever again. </p>
<p>However, another part of me is a little depressed because I feel that nothing will ever be the same once I graduate, and the world that I've been in for my entire life will suddenly experience a huuuge change that I will never be able to go back to. I mean, I've lived in this area for my entire life. I've been in my school district since kindergarten and I've been around the same people for over a decade. The fact that we'll all be parting ways in less than a month and that all the friendships I've made in high school will never be the same is really daunting for me, even though I'm really really eager to finally meet new people in college. </p>
<p>A third part of me is really feeling regretful that I didn't take full advantage of the opportunities given to me in high school. I'm not talking about academics; although I was a slacker throughout most of high school, I'm going to a university that I can't wait to attend next year (in terms of academics, what more can I ask for?). Instead, I'm talking about social life in general. For most of high school, I was super-shy and afraid of social pressure (living a sheltered life beforehand and being bullied didn't really help) so I didn't take any social opportunities available such as dances, games, socials, etc. I got a LOT better during my second half of HS; I actually attended a lot of social events and became a far more sociable person overall. Still, I'm kinda regretting that I didn't have the social life that I could have had. Even today, most people who don't know me still see me as the quiet loner Asian kid who never talks when in reality I'm a pretty social guy who likes chilling/hanging out/talking with people (plus I have a good amount of close friends). </p>
<p>I know that none of this will ever matter again after I graduate, but it's still bothering me a little bit. Are any other seniors feeling the same way as I am? </p>
<p>Thanks for reading this and feel free offer some of your thoughts if you want.</p>
<p>I regret being closed off to my high school environment. I really didn’t see the world outside of my high school so I ended up slacking off for a bit at the end of sophomore year and then getting way behind what I wanted to be by my junior year. Perseverance my senior year combined with a weighted GPA and pretty strong first two years still puts me in a good position despite everything though.</p>
<p>You claim you slacked in high school and yet you’re going to Vandy next year? Only on College Confidential dot com! I had to settle for my state flagship and although on one hand I think I got what I deserved, I know I should have done better and can do much better in the future, so I think I’m reapplying to colleges next year. As much as I’ll miss so many people in my high school, I’m bitter because of my own mistakes combined with a severe lack of academic guidance in my jock-only high school. </p>
<p>I’m the opposite when it comes to social life. I was socially awkward freshman year and everyone seemed to think I was conceited, so then I opened up, became sociable, but I still never got a “life” and I don’t think I ever wanted to with all the drinking and drugs involved. I ended up finding out that out of a school of four thousand students I can count on one hand the number of people I feel like I have worth while friendships with. Don’t worry about being a loner. I find that being introverted has its advantages. I tend to be happier (YES HAPPIER!) when I limit my social contacts and focus on my interests and hobbies. </p>
<p>The end of high school doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be a dramatic change in your friendships. As a senior, I have a few close friends who’ve moved away for college, but I’m still able to keep in touch and hang out with them during school breaks and I don’t feel any different with them. </p>
<p>So basically I’m in the flip situation! I regret the academic side (even if most in my town would think I have nothing to complain about in that area!), but even if it wasn’t ideal, I don’t regret the social aspect of my high school life. It helped me find my place in the world. </p>
<p>As for you, you seem to have a balanced social life I would consider ideal. You didn’t miss much, trust me.</p>
<p>stopped reading after
<a href=“in%20terms%20of%20academics,%20what%20more%20can%20I%20ask%20for?”>Quote=waitlistftl</a>
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<p>@iborpastan: Thanks for sharing your perspective. When I’m feeling regretful about what I could have done in high school, thinking of things that I could do in college to make it 100x better than high school makes me feel a lot better. We can definitely learn a lot from the things we regret in high school in order to maximize our college experiences =D</p>
<p>@HarveyMuddLove: Yeah, now that I think of it that sounded a little pretentious of me… didn’t mean for it to sound that way =/</p>
<p>@waitlistftl Looking at a previous post and frankly pretty impressed by the academic turnaround from your sophomore year to now (I remembered you posted on another thread that I responded to earlier today).</p>
<p>For me my academic turnaround came too late and that’s my regret! I can relate to your user name. I got waitlisted to a lot of places because of it.</p>
<p>I graduated many years ago, but still remember exactly what it felt like, and I would say that your feelings are completely normal. Try looking ahead instead of behind you. Learn from what you didn’t do (that you now wish you had) and do it in college instead. Reinvent yourself! Think positive!</p>