Diary of a New Collegiate
On June 5th, I achieved what I had been working on for over 12 years—I finished my required education. As I walked across the neatly organized blue stage inside of the crowded auditorium, the world froze.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.
As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
I couldn’t believe that high school was over, and that I had only these last few moments to make a statement and spend time with my Somerville High classmates. The next day, some of us would be starting summer jobs, others packing for exotic vacations, and a few would be preparing for careers in the military, but all of us would be official high school graduates, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again until our first class reunion, which of course not everyone would attend. It was a very unreal experience. There was not much I could do about it, so I simply walked across the stage (without falling—yes!) and flashed a wide smile as I held my red diploma and posed for the stereotypical here’s-my-diploma-and-I’m-so-nervous-omg professional picture. When I walked off the stage, I was no longer a high school student, but a rising college freshman ready to start my new journey.As I think about my future in college, I am filled with both nerves and excitement about starting, but my excitement starts to take over more and more control over my nerves every day. I started cherishing little moments, like the amazing quality time that I am able to spend with my mother now (we have gotten along so much better since summer started, and have spent more time together these past few months than we have during my lifetime) and I am working hard at my summer job to help pitch in towards my college expenses. Life is good.
I am most looking forward to learning to be completely independent. Since I was a little girl, I have always had such an independent spirit, but moving away to college eight hours away from my home will give a completely different meaning to my independence. I am least looking forward to not being able to see my mom every day, considering how close we’ve gotten this past summer, but I know that I’ll have Skype and letters and phone calls to keep in touch with her, and that it will all work out together perfectly in the end.
June 5th may have been a big day, but August 23rd will be bigger. I will move into my dorm at my dream college, meet my new roommate (embrace my second roommate whom I have known since preschool), and breathe in the fresh Pennsylvania air as I realize that this will be my new life for the next four years, and boy am I looking forward to cherishing every single minute of it.
* image source: www.educationquest.org
Jennifer is 18 and from Somerville, Massachusetts. She is a member of The National Campaign’s Youth Leadership Team. She’s kind of a big deal; not only can she successfully sport bright red hair, she’s met Ben Affleck. Have a question for Jen? Email us!
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WHAT OTHER TEENS ARE SAYING:
I wish I was brave enough to not be scared and leave high school and live a life without the people I been in school with since middle school….is it weird to say that im a be upset leaving high school not knowing what to do now and leaving my family basically?
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