By Alan Lu
High school, in its condensed intensity, becomes a microcosm of life itself. It’s a crucible where anxieties are forged, friendships tested, and identities shaped. We grapple with universal questions about belonging, purpose, and the fleeting nature of time. So if you ask any graduating senior about how they feel right now, you’d likely receive a response riddled with mixed emotions—ranging from scared” to “excited” to “can’t wait for this year to be over.” Yet I am still in a state of disbelief, experiencing the final moments of my high school career and it feels like just yesterday I was writing my first college application drafts.
Reading any of these senior reflections, you will run into the same motif, the common message — “Enjoy the time you have now, it’s the best time of your life.” But is that entirely true? High school is often spent worrying—about crushes, grades, or fitting in. Trust me, most people don’t care that much, and those who do matter least. It might sound cliché, but there’s a reason why you hear it all the time. I advise you to not waste your youth stuck in a cycle of worry. Experience life and don’t merely exist. Take a breath, explore, and don’t be afraid to embrace the unexpected. Now as you have read these last 200 words, you might be asking me, “Alan what are you getting at here?” and oh golly gee do I have something to tell you!
August 11th, 2021. Our first day at Westmont. We heard the usual “freshman year is a big adjustment” speech, just like for every other hurdle we faced. But we persevered. For the next four years, we spent 180 days a year on campus—a total of 720 days. Additionally, according to the CDC, the average life expectancy in 2021 was 76.4 years or 27,905 days. Those 720 high school days? A mere 0.026% of your entire life. So, what does high school truly matter in the grand scheme? This isn’t me telling you to drop out, but a reminder to prioritize your passions. Finish school (if you want), pursue a fulfilling career, and don’t let these next few years define your entire journey.
The social fabric of high school presents a complex paradox. The desire for acceptance compels us to conform, to blend seamlessly into the established cliques and hierarchies. Yet, a yearning for individuality also stirs within us—a need to express our unique selves and carve our own paths. High school becomes a battleground between these opposing forces, a constant negotiation between fitting in and standing out. This struggle, however, is ultimately a necessary one. It forces us to define our values, question the status quo, and forge our own sense of self.
Don’t get me wrong, these last four years weren’t sunshine and daisies for me either. I went from potentially having one of the greatest groups of people I could surround myself with, to only having four people whom I talk to once a month. The drastic separation of myself from all my friends shifted my high school experience, resulting in me frantically finding a random group of acquaintances whom I could exist with.
High school in itself is a struggle, a struggle that everyone finds themselves in, regardless of wealth, popularity, or happiness. Success might seem elusive, but true growth often happens behind the scenes. My struggles in the classroom weren’t the key to my success; it was how I chose to live. Standing on the precipice of graduation, I can confidently say I broke free from simply existing and started truly living. As the poet Robert Browning said, “A minute’s success pays the failure of years.” Your success is coming, just like mine.
Now, as I stand on the threshold of my future, I finally realized: high school was just the first chapter. The future is yours to write, and the possibilities are endless.