Dear Seniors,
The future is one of the most important things but oftentimes people forget to live in the present.
Most of us are stressed about college whether that be applications or money to be able to go to the college of our dreams. And we are rightfully so, as we are expected to figure out our life before the age of 18. That ideal is not always possible.
We have to figure out what we want to pursue for the rest of our lives to make money. We have been pressured since elementary school to figure it all out. That amount of pressure and expectation has driven a lot of us to the people we are now.
Being stressed out about thinking of our future is a thing that drives us to be unable to experience the world around us. We become anxious about situations out of our control.
Stress is not the only thing keeping you from living in the moment. Addictive social media also takes a part in this. It sucks you into a reality that isn’t completely real. I have been in situations where all my friends are hanging out and everyone’s on their phones.
I am guilty of it as much as the next person is of indulging in social media. But truly it does make a divide within friendships.
I am not saying to completely forget about your future or you can’t be on social media. We need to explore and learn who we are as a person by living. Life is something that we have been given to make our own mark. It doesn’t matter what that mark is– it could be being the best person you can be or being an individual who influences a lot of people.
Living our lives to the fullest and understanding who we are is something that we do when living in the moment. We are only 17-18 years old and we have no clue what the world is like although many think otherwise.
Being present with your family, friends and yourself can let you learn a lot about others and yourself. You might learn that just living for a while without worrying about your future or constantly scrolling through social media makes you feel alive again.
As of 2023, this is something that we should all strive for. It is our last year at home before going off to any secondary education. Enjoy what you have right now because one blink and it’s all over.
Sincerely,
Quinn Russell
