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quinn's avatar

such a wonderful essay! i totally can relate to everything you said about the fomo of it all (my hs experience deserves an entire essay unto itself) but i feel like the only thing you’ll resent yourself for later on is worrying about resenting yourself later on right now? if that makes sense? let yourself live whatever experience life is pushing you towards right now, high school is so not the be all end all of your life. i feel like you’re LUCKY if u don’t peak in hs, you still have so many more opportunities to find yourself later and aren’t locked into any one persona that was created for you when you were a teenager! anyway, sorry this got preachy but i hope you understand what i’m getting at! lovely lovely essay, and so relatable <33

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adalyn michelle lowe's avatar

thank you so much for enjoying! i love your work so this means a lot. also you're so right i don't want to peak in high school at all. but i just want to make the most of my experience! thank you so much for your kind words they truly do mean a lot.

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quinn's avatar

i totally get that! just make sure you WANT to do them, not that you’re doing them because you feel like you HAVE to do them, yk? sending sm love and anti-fomo <33

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Tatiana's avatar

are you kidding me?? this is really what i feel! sixteen here too and i swear every sixteen relates to this (at least me). don’t worry girl we are NOT missing out, we have our own blessings in life too just not entirely the same as the others 🤍🤍🤎

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adalyn michelle lowe's avatar

so glad you relate! high school is truly what we make of it

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zarah's avatar

i’m in my senior of hs right now and i might be canadian but the idea’s the same: it honestly is what you make of it. people are insanely low effort so it’s up to you to find those like-minded people. and senior year is when everyone kinda just chills out a ton and actually want to connect with other people.

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adalyn michelle lowe's avatar

yeah i think senior year will be fun! more people are much more open to genuinely putting in effort, just cause it's a last chance kind of scenario. the seniors at my school always win spirit week.

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Stephen Lowe's avatar

Maybe there is no quintessential experience, as you said. What if you focused on things that makes you happy, that help you grow, and participate wholeheartedly in the lives of the people you care about and see what happens? I don't think you'll feel like you missed out on anything if you do that.

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reva's avatar

i’m a college student and i swear you aren’t missing out on anything!! high school is so different for everyone but ultimately the real experience is just in making as many memories as possible, big or small. you’re awesome for giving everything a chance.

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adalyn michelle lowe's avatar

thank you so much for this! i really appreciate your viewpoint.

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avoid lighthouse's avatar

High school experience is overrated, i encourage every disillusioned teenage girl to quit cheer and ASB (maybe you’ll find yourself)

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adalyn michelle lowe's avatar

this wouldn't be from personal experience would it abby truong

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rowdah's avatar

literally summing up my feelings i’ve been having lately. i’m 17 and a senior and i feel like for the last few years i havent lived up to this teenage dream. i feel like im missing out every second and especially that my teenage years are coming to an end soon im terrified to have nothing to look back on.

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