“In your life you’ll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team… Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday
But I realized some bigger dreams of mine”

-Taylor Swift

Yes, I really did just start out this blog post with a quote from a Taylor Swift song. Just let it happen. Something about OG Taylor Swift lyrics just ring so true with me, especially in this particular area of high school relationships.

And yeah, this is a completely different subject area than my usual focus on current events and politics, but I couldn’t help it.

I think there’s something about being a senior in high school and being only as wise as a seventeen year old can be that I’m starting to realize that everything my peers and I are focusing on is completely skewed.

This isn’t about trashing everything about the high school experience. I go to every football and basketball game possible, I had a huge mum at homecoming just like all the other girls, I’m excited for prom and I can honestly say that I will miss my friends in a way that I can’t even articulate when I go to college. But past all of the basic aspects of high school that we think of automatically, there’s the one thing that has hovered over all of us the entirety of high school: relationships.

Whether it’s the date you feel you need to have for a dance or some sort of validation through a relationship, there is a massive focus on who you’re talking to or who you’re dating, and now looking back? It all seems inconsequential in contrast to the rest of my life. In my time in high school, I have seen countless friends, girls and guys alike, make bad choices or get hurt simply because of this focus on being involved with someone.

I’m seeing people make college decisions and extremely important life choices, simply based on the girl or guy they’re dating instead of what might be best for them. I’m seeing people voluntarily estrange themselves from old friends for the sake of a guy. I’m seeing everyone do this despite the inconsequential nature of the high school relationship.

Yeah, it’s fun. The rush and the excitement are both valid, and I’m not knocking every high school relationship that has ever happened. Obviously, it does work sometimes, as evidenced by some of my friends parents who have known each other since middle school. But it in my mind, it comes last.

Be ambitious. Be a little selfish. Figure out who you want to be, what you want to do, the life you want to live, and then I honestly believe that the relationship aspect of your life will work out.

Maybe you and your high school boyfriend or girlfriend are meant to be. Maybe, just maybe. But I honestly believe that if that if it’s truly going to happen, then it will work out. But without holding you back from college choices or changing your life plans.

We’ve all seen such a tiny part of the world. We’ve known a lot of our friends and acquaintances since before we were old enough to see PG-13 movies and a lot of us have lived on the same street and had the same neighbors since before we can remember.

We have so much time to settle down and commit, but we don’t have forever to experience college and figure ourselves out. It is okay to not always be in a relationship. You’re going to be fine I swear, actually correction, you’re going to be fantastic.

I know people who have been dating since we were 11. I’m not knocking that, I’m simply saying that it’s not the most important thing. Figure out your passions and go for it, without anyone or anything holding you back. When you let go of that mindset of always needing to be in a relationship, you have the room and the perspective to really see the amount of the world you have left to experience.

There are 196 countries in the world and 7.4 billion people. All of which we have yet to experience. Even if it’s against everything we’ve ever been taught, think about yourself. Think about what’s best for yourself. Go to that college that’s far away from your boyfriend, but has that one program you’ve always wanted to get into. Go experience something you haven’t before.

After all, even if it would be nice, our lives aren’t High School Musical 3. Yeah, it was sweet when Troy picked UC Berkeley for Gabriella, but let’s be real for a second. He picked UC Berkeley over the University of Albuquerque, so really was that a sacrifice, or an opportunity to do what he really wanted to do? But I guess that’s up to your own interpretation.

Sincerely,

Sarah