Dear Woodbridge High,

As we say our final goodbyes as the beloved class of 2019, we look back at our high school careers and reflect on the vast amount of time we spent working. We worked to get an A in all 12 Advanced Placement (AP) classes we took or a perfect score on the ACT and SAT. We tried to fit in one more hour of community service or to get that leadership position in the organization we were involved it. All this effort paid off, but not in the way we thought it would.

It’s easy to think that higher stress levels and later nights better your chances at college acceptances, and are simply a means to an end. However, how did college rejection letters fit into this picture? Was our hard work worth it after all? In reflecting on our past four years, the Golden Arrow senior staff wants to encourage students to not only adopt a “work hard” mentality, but also try to “play hard” by looking at the bigger picture of high school.

Yes, good grades, AP classes, high standardized test scores, extracurriculars and those summer programs can help make applicants more competitive for college. However, too many in our senior class made the biggest mistake a high schooler can make: we let these college admission factors become our lives.

Many of us let our high school experience boil down to a bunch of letters, a couple numbers and a bland list of accomplishments. And guess what? There is no formula to avoiding rejections, deferrals and waitlists. We encourage younger students to realize that life is about so much more than a grade on a transcript.

Everyone will embark on a unique journey with invaluable experiences that make us all unique. It is important to realize that we are not defined in any way by the college we go to or what we choose to study. This is the mindset that we encourage students to adopt before senior year. The opportunities we face during and after high school are less about the colleges we are accepted into and more about how we use these years.

That is why we want to remind you to look at the bigger picture of high school and college. Woodbridge High offers a myriad of extracurriculars, clubs and outreach opportunities. Choose to pursue your passions, not just something to put on a college resume. High school is the perfect opportunity to explore and find yourself. It’s the chance to build a supportive network of new peers and teachers, and maybe even cut out unhealthy relationships.

It took us a little too long to find that balance, and that is why senioritis is hitting us hard. Senioritis is the result of burn-out from all the crushing work of high school, since we never balanced all the work along the way.We needed to change our perspective, and realize that high school was actually about so much more than the workload we took on.

So that is why it is so important for us to slow down and enjoy life a little more. Embrace every challenge and victory as you continue to shape yourself into the person you want to be. Not only will you accomplish your goals in a more reasonable time frame, but every goal you work towards will bring you closer towards your ultimate goal. So don’t be afraid to take risks, embrace life and discover your passions. Who knows, maybe your success may lead you to even achieve your wildest dreams.  

You are only in high school once in your life. Take our advice and enjoy it.

Sincerely,

The Golden Arrow Seniors