High school is a time of change. With so many doors thrown open the moment freshmen sit through their first day, it is understandable (and even expected) that they will change throughout their four years.
Everyone can look back at previous school pictures and see how much they have changed. Freshman year pictures are particularly entertaining, with so many sporting the mom-mandated haircut and outfit with a big grin.
But change can be unsettling, and sometimes students resent change in themselves or those close to them because they like the way things are at the moment. A change in classes or sport can throw a student into unfamiliar territory. A change in personality can lead to feelings of betrayal in friends. A change of opinion or emotions can cause a relationship to crumble. With so much hanging in such a fragile balance, of course some teenagers work tirelessly to keep everything in its right place.
It’s always incredible to me--when I ask myself what I was doing around this time last year--how different I was and how different the people close to me were. But that is perfectly okay. Again, these changes are simply part of life as a teenager. Yes, good friends may become distant. Daily routines may fade. And you may look in the mirror one day and see someone new. But that is simply the nature of high school.
Priorities are going to shift over the years and so will interests and friends. If a student dreamed of being a college athlete, but after a year realized he would rather be involved in science as an adult, of course he's not going to be hanging out with the kids from his sport as much anymore--and maybe he’ll find new friends also interested in science.
And that’s exactly what high school is for. It’s just another stepping stone in our lives--ones that are constantly changing. People and places will always be moving in and out of our lives, but the most important thing to remember is that we ourselves are moving as well.
Graphic by L. San