Goodbye’s can be hard. Sometimes bittersweet. How do we go about saying bye to someone or something that has done us so much good yet we have so many bad experiences with?

It’s such a normal thing for seniors to say goodbye to their high school lives, some friends and teachers. It happens every year in every high school around the world. It’s hard to say how many of those bye’s are actually good though. For some, it’s the end of their educational lives, for others it’s merely their intros into a world of education. Somehow, however, every year seniors manage to get asked the same question by teachers or younger students.

“Do you have any advice to the younger kids or upcoming freshmen?”

Typically answers will be very cliche such as “Just be yourself” or “Don’t let others bring you down.”

Although it’s all great advice, and it does help students, it doesn’t uncover the truth about high school life. So this will be my attempt at being as blunt as possible without scaring the little ones away.

Be yourself but expect change

You’re in a developing stage of your life. So while being yourself is great, it won’t be consistent. You’ll find yourself being the opposite person you were one year to the next. Just remember that it’s OK to be that way. Don’t be frightened by the change that is inevitable. Simply accept it, and if at any point you find yourself changing into someone you don’t want to be, then correct your path.

People WILL bring you down

It’s a given, people suck and they will hurt you. This is a life lesson to every person out there. People will say things to you or about you that may or may not be true, and when this happens, your life can change dramatically. When people say it’s “high school drama,” they’re right. It doesn’t matter. I haven’t graduated yet, and can already tell you that 98 percent of what I’ve been through has done nothing more for me other than teach me to be more resilient and forward with life.

Get out of your comfort zone

Yes. The very scary idea of leaving that safe bubble that we all know and love. It’s such a safe place that some people will never leave it. I’m not saying to go crazy and try everything there is to try. Yeah, don’t do that. However, it’s extremely crucial to try new things in these four developing years of your life. Clubs, sports, organizations and competitions of all sorts exist in the school. Find some that seem even slightly interesting to you and give it a go. You have nothing to lose.

Express yourself

This one is my favorite. I don’t just mean speak your mind to your friends, and by no means am I saying talk back to your teacher. I’m referring to standing up for yourself and speaking your mind when you don’t feel like something is right or something needs to be changed. If you don’t agree with something the school is doing, speak out. There are ways to go about it that are formal and respectful. Speak out against bullies and remember that they aren’t the same as the movies depict them. Most importantly, express yourself for your own good. It will help you develop quicker and find yourself if you don’t hold back.

And finally…

Don’t forget why you’re here

While it’s very important to make friends and enjoy your time in this lunch box, never forget WHY you’re here. Balance your studies and social life properly, and learn to prioritize. Don’t be surprised when your homework overwhelms you or when you can’t go out one weekend because you have school related activities. It’s part of the journey. No one ever said it was going to be all fun and games. Life never is.

So remember that people can be horrible, school can be boring, and getting out of your comfort zone is not a bad thing, especially when speaking out against something that isn’t right. Time will fly by, and before you know it, you’ll be planning the rest of your life.

With this I say farewell to my friends I love and care about who will remain a part of this enormous Breakfast Club. And adieu to the school itself, something that will be nothing more than a memory when I part.

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