By: Michel Foreman

Imagine you’re standing in your workplace, finally graduated from high school. You’re in your own world when suddenly an old friend greets you, and nostalgia fills your mind. You breathe in as memories of friends, stress, plans, and dreams hit you all at once as they speak to you; you never expected this.

Life after high school: almost everyone imagines it, usually making it grander than what it will actually be; Madison Kirby is an example of this unfortunate reality.

“Life after high school is much different than I thought it would be. I’ve taken out a lot more loans than I thought I would have by now. I thought I’d have a great job, have my own house, and be a lot less stressed,” Kirby explains.

However, there is an upside to being out of school, “I don’t have to write any papers, so I’m pretty happy about that,” Kirby admits.

Not everyone goes off to college: some because they don’t want to, others because they can’t afford it, or they do go but have to leave.

“I went to school for a short time, but couldn’t afford it. I would say that if you’re going to college, make sure you’re mentally and financially prepared for it, unlike I was. I wish I had saved up more money before I put myself in a lot of debt.”

Life goes on for most, though, even if high school didn’t prepare you for the life after: “I work at Bella’s Brews; high school didn’t prepare me for this.”

One also has a vast amount of time to think back to when you sat in a desk staring at different variations of the same four walls every day. “The only things I miss about high school are seeing my friends every day. You don’t realize how hard it is until you’re all at different colleges, in different states, on completely different schedules.”

She looks back on her high school life: “I also really miss how easy things were. You think a lot of things are super stressful, and then you graduate and go on, and you’re like, why did I even worry about that? I wasted so much time being stressed! I also miss Mr. Leib and Ms. Todd.”

But some things over time don’t change, “I do still have some of the same interests. I’m still really into reading, watching true crime videos on YouTube, and napping,” Kirby laughs.

Kirby offers some wisdom for current high school seniors, “If I could give myself a piece of advice, it would be to worry a lot less about the little things.”