Toryn Triplitt urges seniors to treasure time together, good memories

Dear Class of 2020,

As a fellow senior, I feel your frustration, your anger, sadness, disappointment and even your nostalgia. I feel your need for validation of your feelings.

As schools extend their closures, make the decision to not complete the fourth quarter, and the nation extends the quarantines and shelter-in-places, I understand that we can’t help but feel more and more discouraged. 

It is true that you don’t know the good old days until you’re out of them, and most people don’t experience this nostalgia for their high school years until they’re well into college.

But as our senior year was cut short in the classroom, we are realizing the things we loved about it and all that we will be missing. The things that we had left to look forward to didn’t seem like a big deal until they are now no longer in reach.

Our last formal, getting dressed up one last time to spend the night with your friends one last time. Graduation, which most kids dream about since kindergarten, the rite of passage of walking across the stage to receive your diploma in front of all your family and friends could be gone.

The school has promised our graduation, but the ceremony may look very different, but just try to stay positive. The cancellation of the senior trip is disappointing, but hopefully this summer we can create unique memories of our own. 

Baseball, track, and boys tennis seasons. … I’m sorry, I know how excited you guys were, it was your last chance to show your skills on the field or court. 

These missed last opportunities and milestones provide feelings of anger and frustration in myself, and in the friends that I have talked to about it. Whatever feelings it arises for you, don’t push them down, let yourself feel them, and express those feelings to a parent or a friend. It really does help.

It is true that you can not understand how it feels to lose all these monumental moments unless it has happened to you. Chris Dier, a Louisiana teacher, shared some beautiful encouragement to the class of 2020 through his own experiences. He lost his senior year to Hurricane Katrina. He validates how we feel, he shares his understanding and encouragements.

But instead of reflecting on what we are missing out on, what about the highlights of the year? The football games, senior retreat, homecoming, Sadies, varsity boys basketball and girls soccer both winning Valley’s and so much more! Remember the moments and memories that will last a lifetime. Those off-campus lunches with your friends, the things you maybe shouldn’t have done but they still created good stories. The laughs, the jokes, the smiles: those should never be forgotten.

In the following podcast, Fresno Christian’s ASB president, Braden Bell shares encouragement during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place.

Seniors, I encourage you to reach out to each other, to check in on one another. Underclassmen, check on your senior friends. I know how easy it may feel to just allow yourself to wallow in your sadness, disappointment, etc. But get yourself active, find ways to stay busy, to stay connected, entertained. Try new things. 

I want to leave you with one last note of encouragement: these hard times and trials do pass. Keep focusing on the future and looking ahead and being excited for what is to come.

Sincerely,

A fellow senior,

Toryn Triplitt

For more articles, read Join the Discussion: Feather staff shares COVID-19 shelter-in-place experiences and LETTER: Junior expresses disappointments over 2nd semester shelter-in-place

Toryn Triplitt can be reached via Twitter and via email.