My little sister and my best friends little sister have their senior prom tonight and it makes me all nostalgic thinking about that day four years ago. My prom dress was perfect, my date was tall, and I had great friends around me. Things were so easy back then and I also had no idea I would be who I am today or be where I am today. I had a vision, well my parents had a vision that I would go to college and I would fulfill all the dreams they didn’t get to.
My dad blames money issues on not having a degree and my mom blames her inability to feel confident at big corporate events on not having a degree. They may have not agreed on much other than a divorce being their best course of action but they sure did both agree that college what’s 100% what I had to do.
A doctor, a lawyer, a big corporate executive, the dreams were big and it terrified me. I didn’t want to live based on their plans but in reality I had no plan of my own so what else was I supposed to do. I went the college route for four years, still am but in those four years their dreams became slightly less active. I chose Mass Communications and Broadcast Journalism as a major not exactly a guaranteed six figure salary kind of job waiting for you after that. Currently I am taking about two semesters off to become a certified Paralegal considering I already work for a law firm, I like where I am and what I do, and they make more money than a starting night time radio host… Seems like a great idea.
Four years ago I would have told you I’d have a degree by 21, married by 24, and kids by 27, I planned out the ideal typical life that we are forced to envision as great, happy, stable and normal. But I’m 21, with a stable job, bills, an active education and a growing salary, that’s about all the responsibility I need. Let me tell all of you graduating seniors why, because right now is it. At some point someday I will be married. With kids and a husband and I am sure when it is time for that adventure I will love it. Until that day comes I refuse to be the girl who followed the yellow brick road like every other person out there.
I’m not saying be stupid and don’t work towards a future for yourself, clearly I am. But don’t over think so much. Skydiving, strip clubs that one extra shot of tequila, take that chance while you are young enough to risk it all and say you lived to tell the tail.
Do I ever miss High School?
Sure, I lived back then too. Probably more carefree and secretive than I do now and you know what I am grateful for every moment of experience I got. But no I don’t want to go back. Looking forward looks so nice to me and if the last few months of finally finding my footing is any indication of the rest of my life I am seriously looking forward to it.
Knocks you on your ass a bit, to see your sister and your best friends sister who were only 14 the day you left to prom standing in front of you with their dates looking like beautiful young women whom you are so proud of and whom you know you got to be a part of the person that they are today. It shows you how fast time goes and it makes you feel grateful to have had your time.
In about a month I will watch them cross the stage, the same stage me and my best friend crossed four years ago and my only tip of advice is have fun. Do absolutely everything you can to be able to say that everything you did in life was positive, adventurous, progressive, and maybe even a little dangerous.
To all the seniors enjoying prom be safe, don’t drink and drive, and whatever you do please don’t invite a homeless man back to your hotel room at 5am. Happy Prom Class of 2016, from a fellow bobcat alumni of the class of 2012.