I can vividly remember having my whole life planned out at age 15. I was going to be an artist; I was going to the National Arts School, and I would become the youngest person to ever work at Disney. I was going to get married in my late twenties and have at least two cats.
But now, the closer I get to December 3rd, the less I know. I’ve always been excited to graduate, to finally get out of school and be a big grown up in the real world, dye my hair, cut it short, get numerous tattoos and piercings, and while many of those things still ring true, the larger brushstrokes I’d laid for my life seem to fade away as I grow as a person. Not to sound incredibly cliché, but the only predictable thing about life is its unpredictability.
And now the end draws near, I won’t miss the homework, the stress and the pressure, but I’ll miss the teachers, my peers and the memories that I made within it.
From cheering till my throat hurts during sports carnivals and refusing to do any physical activity to screaming the lyrics of Olivia Rodrigo during Wednesday Recess, the one thing that I found invaluable during my time at Loreto was the community.
I’m not going to focus on this too much, but there were some very rough times during my stay at Loreto; I was young and still trying to figure myself out. Friendship drama, insecurity and bullying shaded a lot of my days here, but I think, in the end, it’ll be the bright ones I remember 5, 10 years from now.
High school can sometimes suck, especially since everyone is maturing at different rates and trying to figure out who they are at the same time, it can be messy, but I’d like to say this not just for younger me, but for everyone who feels that they’re going through a rough time: It does get better. People mature, and by the time we get to senior school, most of us are too focused on school work and the hsc to even think about drama.
So, after all this, I think I can give you the main pieces of advice that I only really understood until now.
Everyone’s insecure – No one during high school, especially the early years, is entirely confident within themselves. You’re not alone in that.
Don’t shut yourself off – I starved myself of genuinely amazing friendships because I was too worried that they wouldn’t like me or think I was annoying.
Everyone has stuff they’re dealing with - Even the most confident and amazing people you know have something they must deal with in their lives. You are not alone in your struggles, and I can assure you there will be many people struggling with the same stuff you are.
Hurt people hurt people – It’s hard to see when you’re dealing with someone who won’t leave you alone, but know that there’s usually something going on in their life to make them lash out, you’ll probably never know what, but people who are genuinely confident within themselves don’t have any need to tear others down.
Use your Teachers, Tutor, Head of House etc. – They only want to see you succeed, and talking to your teachers about how you’re going in that subject or in general is extremely beneficial.
A little bit heavy, but I think If I truly internalised those lessons initially, I think my time would have been a lot better.
I’m going to miss Loreto a lot, it wasn’t perfect, but I’ll cherish the good over the bad in the coming years. The community, the teachers, the people, and the values Loreto has taught with me stick with me forever.
Not too sure if I’ll be back, but I can assure you I’ll keep the memories of Loreto close to my heart.
Au Revoir!
Liv H