High School Is Officially Over

I graduated High School on May 28th of this year. As of writing this, it’s not even been a full week since the big day and I’m still on that high of achievement. I did it, finally. I’m done with high school and can now move on because my life’s just beginning.

Not to disregard the past 17-18 years of my life, but it’s just now getting serious. Some may say even more seriously for me, being someone who isn’t taking the traditional route of things: high school graduation, university in the following fall season, second graduation four years from now…you all know the rest. Since turning 18, I’ve sort of buckled down. ‘Okay, Kayla, this is what we’re doing to get to where we want to be.’

While progress has certainly been made, at times, I’m not at all proud of my progress. When I view things from the traditional standpoint, it feels like I haven’t done much of anything. I feel like I should be gearing up for university, but I’m not and I have no plans of doing so until 2025, if ever.  Further schooling is still in the plans, it won’t be a four-year institution and it won’t be in person (thank you for virtual learning) but still, it’s like…what am I doing exactly?

The question: What does success look like for you?  Never fails to bring me out of that doubtful headspace. It keeps me grounded and on track. What’s success to me will not be for the next person or the next plethora of people shoving discouragement down your throat. But to answer the question, success to me is full independence, pleasure in your career of choice, a zero financial burdens. When I see myself in 10 years, 28 going on 29, I’m free of all burdens and I’m just floating, and abundant in doing so. And that’s something I’ve been feeling even now, though it’s not in my direct present.

I think I’m getting a bit scatterbrained even writing this so let me bring it back to the point of this post. High school is over, and I’m still grappling with that reality. There is no next school year unless you choose to. I ended high school with only one close friendship, and they’re not even in the same state as me. In fact, I would’ve ended it with a former friend group, hadn’t I not broken contact with them at 12am on December 30th, 2023.

While I no longer have that community physically, I don’t feel much of a loss. No disrespect to them, because to be honest, my leave has nothing to do with them. It was quite literally growing pains and I was just sick of holding onto what I felt no longer resonated with me and I feel better, I am better for doing so. All in all, I think I ended high school on a positive note. I’m content, though I do have times of uncertainty and doubts. I’m riding this wave of life (not to be corny) and I’m doing what I need to do to be the best version of me. This is truly the beginning.