Dear Class of 2021,

13 years is a long time, right? Personally, I disagree. 13 years ago seems like it was yesterday. I remember every detail of my first day of Kindergarten, and I can imagine many of you do, too. So why is this? Why is it that 13 years, more than a decade, seems like it just flew right by?

Growing up, we were told to get ready for the real world. That everything we were learning would help us when we became adults. I feel as if we took that to heart, dreaming and feeling like we have to grow up, to become an adult. In doing this, our childhood years became a blur. But look at us now, adulthood knocking at the door. I know it might be scary, that you might not feel like you’re ready for the real world, and that’s okay. At this point in our lives, the future is unknown. There lies a ton of uncertainty ahead. But, that uncertainty is nothing compared to what you dealt with within the last 13 years. Whether it be another levy being passed, buildings being closed, or the COVID-19 shutdowns.

You’ve made it through 13 years of schooling, and now it’s time to move on to the next chapter in your life. Whether that be college, enlisting, or joining the workforce, your next step in life is out there waiting for you. I could sit here and get philosophical about how “life isn’t ready for you” and how you need to “take a leap of faith.” But I’m not going to. Deep down, you know what you need to do to achieve your goals. Follow your hopes and dreams, learn from your failures, find inspiration. Nobody in this world is more fit to help you succeed than yourself, so listen to your gut and find your path in life.

High school might not have been for everyone, but everyone deserves a fair shot at life. So no matter how much you took in from your time here at Tallmadge High School, realize that it taught you valuable life lessons that would otherwise never be learned. It helped you shape who you are, helped you find interests and friends, and helped you figure out what you want to do after high school is over. No matter what you took from high school, you made it to the end, and that’s something to be proud of.

Congratulations Tallmadge Class of 2021. The world is waiting for you.

Sincerely,

Jackson Queen