Perspective: Thoughts for graduating high school seniors

It is the time of year when graduating seniors are entering the final weeks of their high school experience.

While families are busy in anticipation of graduation ceremonies, it is important for the graduate to realize that this is a time of transition much larger than graduation.

Here are some items each graduating senior should think about.

  1. Remember that in life, high school graduation is an extremely important milepost, but it's not a finish line. In many ways, your completion of high school is only the beginning of your learning and the beginning of your life. You will probably understand that better as the years go by.
  2. Prepare for tests. Not just upcoming final exams, but all of those tests that will come your way after high school. Did you think there would be no more tests? Life is full of them. And as you go, be sure to build a solid foundation for further training, whether it is on the job, in vocational school or in college.
  3. What kind of learning will you need? What do you need to know? None of us have learned it all by age 18. Ask questions, learn all you can from your supervisor, learn from videos on YouTube and elsewhere, and, oh yes, read!
  4. Plan your summer. That's right, plan. Summer can no longer be a lazy time where one sleeps late and does nothing to develop the mind and body. If you haven't already, you will need to develop a work ethic that is responsible, dependable and solid. What kind of work will your summer include that will prepare you for the rest of your life?
  5. Along those lines, don't lock in to entertainment, leisure and physical pleasure. Life includes so much more; it isn't about running from one fun experience to another.
  6. There is dignity in good, honest work and helping others along the way. There is great deal of satisfaction in earning and saving your own money and making your own way. There is also a healthy feeling in your soul when you help others or do charity work and expect nothing in return. As you follow your own dreams, remember that it all isn't just about you. Maybe you learned that in high school, but if not, you should learn it now.
  7. Make time to write a thank you to those who have helped you along the way. This is not about merely sending thank you cards for graduation gifts. You should write a thank you to those who have truly done something for you that has made a difference in your life. This exercise would be good for you and meaningful to those who receive your heartfelt thanks. A grateful outlook is healthy and is an important component in your interactions with others. It contributes to better relationships and a much more satisfying perspective in life.
  8. Realize that throughout life you will continue to need the help and support of others to be successful. One such example is that at this time you may need a recommendation or a letter of reference from someone. If so, make sure you ask several days in advance of when it is needed. To tell someone you need a letter that same day is inconsiderate of their time and also suggests that perhaps you aren't very organized. You never want to leave the impression with anyone that you are inconsiderate, unprepared, or that your efforts are simply haphazard.
  9. Don't leave any unfinished business at your high school. Are scholarship applications complete? (The deadline is past for many of those). Have you arranged for your transcripts to be provided to the institutions that need them? Have all applications been submitted to the institutions of higher learning to which you have applied? Are any outstanding fees owed? Do you know all the details of what you must do to participate in the graduation ceremony?
  10. Be prepared for life to change. Ten years from now you may be surprised at where your journey has taken you. In the shorter term, you may be surprised to see that if you come in to your high school six months from now, you will see that you don't fit in exactly like you once did. It's not a bad thing. It's just that you will have joined the adult world. Adults don't hang out at high schools unless they work there. But you will have moved on, and it will feel different. It's just a part of life.

David Wilson, EdD, is one of the assistant principals at Jefferson City High School. You may e-mail him at [email protected].