Five Years Later

It's been about five years since I graduated high school. On June 12th, 2014, my former peers that I would typically see daily and I, finally threw our graduation caps in the air and went our separate ways.

It seems so long ago that I would wake up at six AM from Monday to Friday, cranky as hell, to catch the noisy, crowded bus. I remember sitting in class, learning about things that I had no need for in

the future. (Pythagorean Theorem, anyone?)

Walking down the busy, congested halls with my earphones blasting music was something I did to block out the world. Sometimes, it would help me calm down before a big test or give me a confidence boost before a presentation. Even if it was for a few minutes, every beat and lyric helped. Not going to lie, I was a big One Direction fan.

Prom was an event that I will never forget. It was something that I dreamt about for years, and unfortunately, it didn't go the way I wanted it to. No guys asked me, so I didn't get to experience the whole corsage and boutonniere ordeal. I did go with a group of friends though. All in all, it wasn't the best experience for different reasons, but at least I looked good in my neon green dress.

Throughout high school, I gained friends and lost some. If you want me to be honest, the few friends I had when I graduated? We don't really talk. I guess you could call them "school friends." They were the ones that I would talk to and eat lunch with at school. We would occasionally hang out and such on the weekends or days off, but that was the extent of it. I don't and shouldn't harbor any hard feelings towards them. It is what it is, life happens and people move on.

Petty high school drama was something that everyone has probably experienced. Any arguments I've gotten into or any grudges I had against anyone, mean absolutely nothing to me now. I'm an adult and undoubtedly have more important things to worry about and deal with. All I can say is I wish them the best in whatever they decide to do in life.

Some people removed me from social media after graduating. Even so, I still have a good portion of people added. You know, it's interesting to see what direction life has decided to take them. Some of them went to college, graduated, and pursued a career. Others got married and started families of their own.

Me, on the other hand?

I've seen a few of my former classmates come into my job and ask, "What have you been up to Jordanna?"

Well...

If you want me to be honest, I haven't completed college; I work in retail, I'm not in a committed relationship at the moment, and I still live at home. Oh, and not to mention, I still don't have my license because I have to focus on paying off my student loans.

I guess you could say I'm living the dream.

They don't need to know all that though, right?

Seeing what they've accomplished in five years to what I have, is sort of a downer. I feel like they've done much more, but I shouldn't compare. Life isn't a race, and everyone goes at their own pace.

I never thought that when I first started high school when I was 14, I would still be alive and get my diploma. When I graduated at age 18, I had this possible idea of how life was going to be once I completed high school and it's nowhere near that. Somehow though, at almost 23 years old, I'm doing this whole "adulting" thing. I've come so far since I was that young, lost freshman.

I should be proud of what I've done so far, what I'm doing now, and what I will achieve in the future. And you know what? I am.

I've made mistakes in the past and will as time goes on, but I'll live and learn. Isn't that what life is about?