This Post: What Your Teen Might Not Say on Graduation Day

Written By: Nancy Reynolds

Mom to mom… I know how it feels when your senior in high school is about to walk across that stage – the immense pride (they did it!), the ache, the lump in your throat that shows up out of nowhere, and the way you look at them and think, “How did we get here so fast?”

I’ve been right where you are with my own kids – trying desperately to soak it all in while also quietly bracing myself for what comes next. Trying not to show how hard it is to let this season of their lives go, knowing full well that life is about to shift big time.

But here’s what I’ve learned…

While we’re feeling so many conflicting emotions on the inside during this time, there’s a whole lot going on inside our kids, too. They just don’t always know how to say it. 

What Your Teen Might Not Say on Graduation Day ( Even Though They’re Feeling It)

So let me gently pull back the curtain for you… Here’s what your teen wishes they could find the words to say.

“Mom and Dad,

I really don’t know how to explain today. People keep saying “congratulations” like it’s simple. Like this is just a finish line and a celebration and then… done. And yeah, I guess it is that. But it’s also a lot more than that, and I don’t think I have the words for all of it yet.

So I’ll try…”

1. I’m Proud of Myself, Too

I know you’re proud of me – you’ve told me a thousand times. But I’m proud of myself, too.

High school was so hard. The late nights studying, the constant barrage of homework, juggling sports, my job, and trying to hold it all together on those days when I was exhausted… I don’t know how I pulled it off, but I actually did it.

Not perfectly, not easily, but I made it here. (I know I stressed you out at times, and I know there were times you had your doubts.) But just knowing I accomplished this major milestone in my life matters more than I thought it ever would.

2. SO Relieved

It’s weird how heavy high school feels until it’s over.

For the first time in four years, I feel like I can exhale. I guess I didn’t realize I was holding my breath for so many years.

3. I’m Excited… But Afraid I Might Stumble

The truth is, I don’t know exactly what the next few years will look like for me.

I mean, I have plans in motion, and that’s comforting, but the not knowing is a little unsettling. I’ll probably stumble, and I might even fall flat on my face a time or two, but I’m gonna try because what’s ahead of me feels like “possibility,” and “change,” and a “fresh start.” And that part is really exciting. 

4. I Feel Straight-Up Fear

Because honestly… what if I’m not ready?

What if everyone else seems like they know what they’re doing and I’m just pretending I do too? Also, now that I’m graduating from high school, does this make me an “adult” in your eyes and the eyes of others? ‘Cuz the truth is, I’m not ready to take on that title.

How do I explain to everyone that I’m still just a kid on the inside? This all feels way too heavy and scary for me…  This is the part my friends and I don’t talk about much, but I really think we’re all silently thinking about it when we lie in bed at night. 

5. I’m Feeling Nostalgic… I’m Going to Miss This

I never thought I’d say this, because there were days I was SO ready to get high school over with. But now that it’s behind me, I’m going to miss this.

It always seems to be the random things that hit me – hanging out with my friends in the hallway, in the cafeteria, and at the football games. The laughs, the inside jokes, the tears, the boyfriends and girlfriends who broke our hearts, the teachers who drove us absolutely nuts, and the other teachers who inspired us to try. Walking away is harder than I thought it would be.

6. So Much Pressure

Everyone keeps asking what my plans are, if I’m going to college, what I’ll be majoring in – like somehow, I’m supposed to have it all figured out.

I don’t. I’m still trying to figure out if my direction is the right direction. I worry I’m screwing it up, and yet everyone keeps asking. And those expectations? They feel so much heavier than I expected. 

7. Thankful to All Those Who Helped Me Get Here

I think this major milestone has given me a little perspective.

I know life is about to shift, and there are so many people who helped me get here that I feel I want to thank – my teachers, my coach, my friends who stood beside me,  but mostly, you, mom and dad.

I probably didn’t say thank you enough while it was happening, but I see it now. Thank you...for pushing me when I needed it, for believing in me, for standing beside me the whole time, and guiding me even when I fought you every step of the way. I’d never be where I  am without you. 

8. A Little Sad

This might be hitting me the hardest… 

Everyone is scattering in different directions, and I know all too well that some friendships might change, or people might drift away. I miss my friends already. I’ve become so comfortable with them, and the idea of making new friends in a whole new environment is both scary and sad. I don’t want new friends… I want my close circle who’s lived life with me every single day for the past four years. I know it’s all normal… it just hurts a little.

9. Finally… I Feel Like I Have More Freedom

I get to make more of my own decisions now, and that sounds amazing, because it IS. 

But it’s also a little overwhelming because it all feels more real now. I mean, I know you’ll always be there for me, and you’ll always have my back, but suddenly I feel like I’m officially in charge of my future. In some ways, I’m ready. In other ways, I’m not. 

10. Confused About My Future… It’s all Happening So Fast

When I was graduating from eighth grade and thinking about how it would feel when I graduated from high school, I really thought I’d feel more certain by this point.

Even though I’m headed in what I think is the right direction for me, I’m still figuring myself out. I’m still not sure every decision is going to pan out or that I’ll be able to handle it. It’s a lot. But maybe that’s the truth of today… not that I have to have it all figured out, but that I’m putting one foot in front of the other and I’m moving forward. This is a new beginning.

So if I seem a little quiet today, or like I don’t know exactly what to say… this is why.

I’m not just graduating, I’m standing in the middle of a lot of feelings I’m still trying to understand. I’m proud, I’m scared, I’m excited, I’m overwhelmed… sometimes all in the same minute. But underneath all of it, I think there’s something simple I do know: I’m becoming someone new. And even if I don’t have every answer yet, I’m learning to take each new day as it comes. 

One step at a time…