love-hate relationship with school
i finally finished my internal assessments this year but I've done pretty terribly in a few (unfortunately prerequisite) subjects
even though i feel like i have a chronic headache I'm really going to miss consistently and conveniently seeing my friends but i hate the workload i hate the stress levels i hate losing marks for the sake of showing up
it might be virtually impossible to catchup with people outside of school but something feels very very empty about finishing high school, lack of fulfilment and memories i suppose. i cant tell if its the other people or if its the environment
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I had such a similar experience to you when it came to thinking I'd never be able to see my friends consistently again! I vividly remember the end of the trip I went on with my friends after we graduated. As two of my friends were driving off to return home, I was so scared that it would be the last time I'd see them. However, it's been 4 years since we graduated and we've all seen other as much as we can. It's definitely hasn't been easy to plan catchups given a few of my friends have moved cities and now live interstate, but the important thing is putting in the effort and trying to make it happen where possible. My friends and I try to regularly catch up over dinner, we've gone on interstate and overseas trips together and we try out new activities together (like bouldering, pottery etc.) when we can. I never imagined that any of those things would happen because I was so scared that we'd all lose touch, but when everyone puts the effort in, you can still maintain great friendships after highschool. That's not to say that it won't be difficult at times, or that you'll be able to keep in touch with absolutely everyone, but I hope that this helps you feel just a little bit less anxious as you embark on this new chapter after school.
I hear you—finishing high school is such a complex mix of emotions. It's totally normal to feel this way. You’re navigating the end of a significant chapter, and it’s common to experience a love-hate relationship with something you’ve invested so much time and energy into.
It's okay to feel conflicted. On one hand, you're relieved to be done with the stress and workload. On the other, there's the emptiness and uncertainty of what comes next. Recognize that both feelings are valid and part of the process of transitioning out of high school.
The loss of daily contact with friends is a big deal. High school often becomes a social hub, and saying goodbye to that routine can feel like a significant loss. Try to keep in touch with your friends in creative ways—video calls, group chats, or even planning meet-ups. It might not be the same, but maintaining these connections can help bridge the gap.
If you’re feeling a lack of fulfillment or meaningful memories, consider creating new experiences for yourself. Engage in hobbies, explore new interests, or volunteer. Finding ways to create meaningful moments outside of school can help fill that void and give you a sense of accomplishment.
Think about what you want to do next. Whether it’s further education, work, or taking some time off, having a plan or goals for the future can give you direction and purpose. It might help to reflect on what aspects of school you enjoyed and seek out similar experiences in your next chapter.
It sounds like you’re feeling quite stressed and physically unwell. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself—getting enough rest, eating well, and finding ways to relax. Sometimes, managing stress and taking care of your health can help clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective.
Remember, it's okay to grieve the end of this chapter while also looking forward to new beginnings. 🙂
Hey there @yeah_it_tahtperson ,
I totally get how you feel. Finishing high school can be pretty melancholic and make some people feel like they have a lack of direction (at least that's how I felt for a little bit). But it's also completely understandable why you miss school. Personally, I also missed being able ot see my friends as well as the steady routine high school gave me. However, I'm here to reassure you that it is still possible to catch up with friends outside of school and stay connected. I have 10+ people in my friend group and we all met in high school, even though we graduated like three years ago we're all still pretty tight. I find that setting up a group chat (wherever that may be) is probably the easiest way to stay connected with friends from high school. Basically, as long as everyone puts in at least a little bit of effort, it is really easy to stay connected with friends.
Having a complicated relationship with high school is completely valid and it's even more valid to be happy yet sad when finishing it. But either way, you should be proud that you're almost through it! Best of luck with your exams!!
if u dont mind telling us how often do u catch up with ur mates in person now u don't see each other every weekday?
It's hard to say since depends on the time of year but I would say I see my friends at the very least once a month but its usually more than that. It's still quite hard since there is a lot of us so one or two people may be missing from each hangout but we still make the effort! Even then we still have a very active group chat so we're still keeping up to date with all our lives :] I'd say we're just as close, if not closer, than when we were in high school
Hey @yeah_it_tahtperson,
I know I am not who this comment was originally addressed but I have some experience that may help!
I was so scared of leaving high school and never keeping in contact with the friends I had made, for a long time I floated between groups and never really felt like I had a set group of friends. It wasn't until the last two years that I found a group that I really meshed well with (and even then there was drama...). So knowing that I was quite new to this group and that we would no longer see each other every day made me worried that I was going to lose touch.
When we left we did Leavers together, all of us went on a trip and made some fun memories, took photos and celebrated having gotten through high school (by the way congrats!). We had a group chat where we would keep each other updated on big things like new jobs and sometimes smaller things like fights we had had with our families. I think what made us stay together was that the chat was quite active for months after graduating, going to the same uni meant we could take the train up together or sometimes meet for lunch, but it was really about asking "Who is where?". We did rituals like watching all the Disney/Pixar films as a group, having a sleepover during the mid-year break and even more daily things like planning to go to the same gym. Often we won't get all of us in one place more than once or twice a year but it is rare that I don't catch up with at least one of my friends at the gym or uni.
However, it wasn't all peaches and roses... pretty soon after we graduated one of the girls in my group isolated herself from everyone except one of the others in the group. To make a very long (and complicated) story short... this girl left the group on her own terms after essentially bad-mouthing every single one of us. It was hard, we were hurt and angry. She tried to make the group fit into what she wanted us to be, but we weren't that.... so she left. Although it was hard to lose someone close to us, it bonded the rest of the group. It has been three years since she left and we rarely think about her.
Since then I have learnt to look out for red flags in people and avoid them, because that is one of the joys of adult friendships, you get to choose who you hang out with! The people I have chosen to surround myself with are amazing, and they go beyond my high school friend group.
Being an adult can be scary and fun!
Friends may come and go, and it may hurt... but enjoy the time you have with them no matter what.
So I know this was not exactly the answer you were looking for, but I hope it helped anyway!
As someone who graduated a couple years back, seeing your message made me reflect on my own time at High School, and so now I feel like sharing my own 2c after @Lapis_Anteater 's lovely reply 🙂
I had very similar feelings to you when graduations were approaching, especially about missing my friends.
For me, even though I still regularly meet up my closest 2 friends from school, there were lots of people who I really enjoyed hanging out with that I don't see all that much anymore. This is something used to make me feel a little bit sad, but I tried to shift my perspective a little bit, and maybe this can help you as well.
I told myself to not be sad because it's over, but to smile becuase it happened, and now I can look back more fondly at old photos and videos from my times high school.
I know you must be feeling uncertain and empty at the moment, but just know that it's okay to feel that way. It's like you're aproaching the series finale of your favourite comfort show 😢.
High School is a crucial time in most people's life. Whether you notice it or not, it really shapes you as a person, both the good times as well as the stressful and sad times.
Congrats on finishing your internals, best of luck for your final exams (they're usually a bit easier than your school trials 😉). I know they can be a bit daunting, but you'll definitely get through it, just remember to keep taking care of yourself 😊
Congratulations on finishing your assessments! So long as you tried, the outcome isn’t that important. It’s understandable to miss school. It’s a familiar environment that you have been in for years. As you mentioned you get to see your friends consistently. Hopefully you’ll find a way to continue to see them outside of school. It can be harder outside of school, but it does make the meetings more special.
Sometimes the big push to finish school can leave you feeling empty. School is very structured and clearly sets out the years of your life. It can be daunting when it finishes, and you must proceed without guidance. Is there anything you’re interested in doing after school?
im hoping to meet more ppl who i have mutual interests with uni other than that not much in mind
part of me is really looking forward to not doing anymore tutoring
