Change can be such a bittersweet feeling. You get comfortable with a structure and timeframe, but suddenly, that structure gets altered. This happens in every stage of your life, but the first noticeable time this significantly occurs is probably as a high school senior (especially during pre-graduation and post-graduation).
After being put in the same schooling process for about 4 years and seeing the same faces every day, as soon as you throw up your graduation cap, everyone is immediately on their own path. Most students go to college immediately, some decide to take a gap year, some start a job, and some are never heard of after graduation.
@yaseen.himself Frightening and thrilling at the same time #2005 #year2023 #newyear โฌ ribs 2 - ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐จ ๐ฎ
It’s almost been a year since the class of 2022 graduated, and in a couple of months, the class of 2023 will also embark on the same journey. If you had or have a friend group from high school, it’s completely normal to be worried about how you will continue to stay friends with everyone. With that, here are ways to keep in touch with your high school friends.
Meet up During the Summer After Graduation
High school graduates summer activities vary from person to person, as some students may be getting ready for college (orientation, packing, meeting their roommates etc.), and some may just want to relax during summer while figuring out how they plan on spending their life.
However, summer time is one of the best times to keep in touch with your high school friends, as most of you will probably still be near each other (in terms of location) for the time being. Be intentional about meeting up, so you can just spend time with each other. Do things you would usually do together, and reminisce on your fun times.
Social Media
By the time summer period is over, everyone is truly on their own path, so interacting through social media can help keep in touch with your friends a lot. Interact on your group chats, add yourselves to each other’s private stories and close friend lists, check up on each other, and regularly update yourselves on new developments that are happening in your life. Social media makes communication so much easier, so facetime, video chat and talk online as much as possible.
Meet up During Holidays
Some students like travelling out of state for college, and other high school graduates who don’t go to college immediately may not want to stay in their state, so they can rediscover themselves. This means there is a high chance everyone is scattered across the country or even out of the country. Based on this, the only time you may have the chance to meet up with your high school friends may be during holiday periods.
Some key holidays this may be possible are: Thanksgiving, Winter break and Summer break. Make plans with your high school friends ahead of time to make sure everyone will be around at the same time, and plan how you’ll hang out with each other to catch up.
Get involved with High School Alumni Activities
As soon as your graduate from your high school, you immediately become an alumnus. A lot of high schools usually organize alumnus activities to get their former students to remain a key member of the community. You can plan ahead with your high school friends on the kind of activities you’d like to participate in, and the days you’d like to go for these activities. This way, you get to still be a part of your high school community, and meet up with your high school friends every once in a while.
Throw a reunion Party
It won’t make sense to immediately throw a reunion party after graduation, but a little down the line, in about 3-5 years, you can decide to throw a reunion party for your set mates with the help of your high school friends, (or ask your high school administration to get involved) so you can see how far everyone has come and catch up with as many people as possible.
Although you may feel the need and desire to desperately want to catch up with your high school friends because of situations such as FOMO and separation anxiety, it is also important to grow and open up your mind to change. Don’t get so fixated on wanting to live in the past that you forget to experience the present and the changes right in front of you.
@jorgiewest y’all being lied to about an idealized version of college is not something i can’t stand for
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Change is a very scary thing, but sometimes it helps you grow and reinvent yourself in so many ways. High school and high school friends are great, but open up your mind too.
