To Whom It May Concern,

In 4 days, you will have completed both your exams and your entire high school career. From this, Satellite High School will face serious losses: You will be gone, and a great chunk of our student body will be as well. Surely life will go on―after all, it happens every year―but how will the days ensue after your high school career ends?

Most certainly, I can affirm that there will be a certain sorrow that floods Satellite High School. A great majority of my best friends are you, seniors. Thus, I can’t even begin to imagine how the time that succeeds will go. We, like many other Scorps, have memories of our friendship that are everlasting, and I can’t thank you enough for those. They’ve impacted my high school career in the best way possible: I’ve joined swim team, speech and debate, and the Telstar, the website to which this is posted. It’s been a wild ride, and I’ve adored every second of it. I hope you have too.

I know, I know, I’m getting awfully sappy, but shall we continue?

Friendship is not based on how often you see someone or how many times you Snapchat them in a day (albeit, I must admit I’ve had two two-month streaks with one of you). It is a gift that friendship is instead the human connection. I’ve connected with so many of you, and I’m eternally grateful for that.

I’m also infinitely excited for how your life is to ensue. Make it a priority to establish greatness from this change. Enjoy adulthood and the challenges you are soon to encounter―I can assure you I’ll experience similar ones soon.

You have the world at your fingertips now. As Mark Twain proclaims, “Sail away from the safe harbor.” Whether this means departing from our little beach town to enroll in upper education, or something else, dive into adulthood with utmost priority to explore and grow. After all, “twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” I urge you to create change. Perhaps it is this change that determines everything. Considering this, remember that I will be here, we will be here, to support you. For life’s a journey and it has been a joy to walk part of yours with you. I wish you the best of luck and all my love, always.

Until next time,

Taylor Rohleen