hey everyone, lauren here!
Can you believe it? I made it to the other side of high school and came out stronger, wiser and hopefully a lot prettier! After 6 years of schooling at Bethlehem my time as a high school student is over… all the takeout runs after school, late night study sessions, lunchtimes at the canteen, therapy sessions in the music rooms, early morning classes and laughing with my friends are over.
It honestly didn’t even feel real… it still feels like I’m just going to head back to school next year and it will be the exact same as before, except it's not. I’ve done everything necessary to move on… I’ve made the final TikToks around school, had those final hugs from friends and teachers, given the gifts to those teachers that meant the world to me, walked across the stage at grad, danced at formal… it’s done and honestly I feel the exact same.
I know lots of students in my year group who felt instant relief… proceeding to go to every club under the sun and party as they should… I know others who have cried for hours mourning for what will never be the same but I feel the same. To be honest, on my last day of school and graduation I think I felt numb. Of course I cried when I got home right before bed but it has never felt real. Lockdown has a lot of impact on this… it allowed me to move on before I even finished high school. Being pulled away from friends and teachers hurt my heart but allowed me to heal in time for graduation. I’m going to be honest with you… even though life on the other side is so relaxing at the moment, there are many things that are different. No more waking up early hours of the morning and seeing Martina to go to extension history, no more laughs in drama warmups and no more passionate discussions in english. I haven’t seen some of my school friends since formal… some since graduation… and that’s okay. To focus just on working, and my wellbeing is super healthy and rejuvenating. Right now I’ve been enjoying every minute with hanging out with friends, swimming, bike riding, hapkido, baths, naps and writing and it’s the healthiest I’ve ever felt mentally. The real world is so different! I get to wake up at whatever time I like, I only have to go to university 3 days a week, and I control what I do everyday! It’s awesome but it does come with a heap of responsibility! So here are my three little nuggets of wisdom that I give to you :))
I would say really enjoy every moment!
I remember as a child my mother told me “Lauren life is not one big party”... but that’s the thing “life is one big party” if you make it. By really embedding optimism into your everyday life it can create a big difference. I really try to find the beauty in my surroundings and try to at the very least have one good moment a day! Trust me when I say year twelve is finished in a blink of an eye (even with five terms) and your time at Bethlehem will be over just like that! Let’s give a few examples! Say all of your classes have been absolutely miserable and the whole day has been ruined… go out for a bike ride, or a bath, watch a whole season on Netflix, do anything to create some good in a bad day (even if your life just has to go on pause for a few hours). Let’s say lately you’ve been feeling left out and you’re not in a good place mentally… pick up some hobbies, dance in your room to loud music, do what makes you happy even if others around you don’t approve of it. Creating a gratitude list can allow reflection of what’s amazing in your life at the moment! Here’s a little snippet of mine <3
gratitude list dancing in my room, the sky when it’s blue and clear, the warmth of the sun, how birds dance in the sky, that feeling of getting a move right in hapkido, speeding down a hill on my bike, the smell of baked goods in my house, nice candles, warm baths, loud music in my headphones, achieving an award, the smell of a new book, doing well on a test, chatime, someone massaging my hair, my bed. |
Have kindness and welcoming nature <3
Recently I was emailing my favourite teacher who was new to Bethlehem in 2021 who I am so grateful was here for my last year of high school! She told me something that will always resonate with me:
It was just wonderful having you in class and you made me feel so welcome at Bethlehem this year. Make sure you hold on to that welcoming nature and kindness because it has a really positive effect in people's lives.
The funny thing for me is that personally I was just reflecting how welcoming and kind she was to me when we had our first class. It hit me how being a positive and genuine person can have a great affect on other people :)) What I’m trying to say is to really instil a kind and welcoming nature to everyone around you, whether its a teacher, a student, or any friends. I know it sounds weird that it may not seem cool especially for the younger year groups but being kind and welcoming makes a great first impression and can ultimately leave a positive note on your own day.
High-school is not the be all & end all !
Looking back on all the efforts, tears and hours I put into highschool, I actually didn’t do as well academically as people may believe… The pressures of a perfect mark in an assignment and studying hard for an exam just became one number that would either let me into university or not! Believe it or not there are other ways to get where you need in life such as bridging courses, TAFE, the list is endless! Of course you need to focus in high school to learn life lessons, but don’t let it consume your life! Don’t get me wrong during the HSC exam period I was still going out! I was starting out a new job, going to hapkido the night before exams, hanging out with my friends and making time for family and myself! Trust me when I say you will remember the memories and friends you made along the way rather than all that content you studied endlessly.
So enjoy it! You only get to be a bethlehem girl in purple for so long… so wear it like a badge of honour! Best of luck to everyone in 2022 especially those graduating!! If you need anything please don’t be shy and shoot an email! ( it’s lauren.knezevic@gmail.com )
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