An Open Letter To My Baby Sister As She Graduates High School

Happy FRI-YAY, everyone. While you get ready to enjoy your weekend today, tomorrow and Sunday, I will be on-and-off crying about the fact that my only sibling, my baby sister, is old enough to be graduating high school and getting ready to go off to college. I am immensely proud of her and my computer screen is already blurring from the tears. Carolyn – this one’s for you, sis. Keep reading for my Open Letter To My Baby Sister As She Graduates High School.

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An Open Letter To My Baby Sister As She Graduates High School

Dear little sister,

First of all, I want to say congratulations!!! I am so so so PROUD of you and this amazing accomplishment. I know how hard you’ve worked the last four years to get here, and watching you grow into an awesome, smart and funny adult has been so much fun. You are one of the kindest people I have the pleasure to know and you care so deeply about other people. The fact that you continue to see the good in people (even if they don’t deserve it) is a rare and special quality. 

Five years ago, I walked across the stage to get my high school diploma and I remember thinking this day was so far away for you. Those five years sure flew by fast, didn’t they? I remember being little kids – how excited I was when you were born. I love being your big sister. Thank you for keeping me young a little longer than the other kids got to be. 

I hope you got everything you wanted to out of your high school years, little sis. I hope you made friendships that you will keep forever. I hope you learned lessons that will carry you into your next phase in life. I hope that you developed skills that will help you to be successful in college. I hope you walk across that stage feeling like you didn’t leave anything out there or behind. Knowing you did everything you were given the opportunity to and are happy with how it turned out. You should be, you did an amazing job.

Now, it’s time for you to leave high school behind. In college, your teachers are going to care just a little bit less about your grades (they have hundreds of students, after all), activities will be harder to find, and friends may not come as easily. I know you are so sure of what you want to do when you are done with college, and I am so excited for you. I felt the same way when I went to college. It didn’t go exactly like I planned for me, but I hope it does for you. Even still, if I could impart one thing on you as you get ready for this next phase in life, it would be to try new things. Take extra curricular classes that don’t match your major. Join clubs. Do FUN things with your education, not just school things. I was SO set on being a veterinarian, I forgot to take other classes that would have introduced me to new things a lot sooner. I would have discovered what I am truly passionate about before my junior year of college. I’m not saying you will change your mind about teaching (and I hope you don’t – because you are going to be AMAZING at it), I am just saying to try new things. You may be really good at something you didn’t know you were, you may make new friends and discover new talents. Continually learn new things about yourself. I put myself in a really small box in school – I’d love to see you reach new heights and challenge yourself a little more than I did.

Being an adult can be absolutely terrifying. I get it. But you are so capable and smart, I just know this is going to be a breeze for you (as long as you can learn how to get up with your alarm the first time…there’s not mom in college;) ). Here are 5 important things I want you to take away as you grab that diploma tomorrow night and officially become a college kid:

One: Stay away from boys. All of them. 😉

At least for your first semester. Let yourself get comfortable in your new life. I think you are going to like not having to answer to anyone but yourself. Boys are fun, don’t get me wrong, but remember that your education comes first and don’t let some stupid guys try to ruin that or take it away from you. Go on dates, have a good time, but do your homework first. 😉 OK SORRY LOVE YOU I HAD TO.

Two: Always keep chocolate ice cream in the freezer. You’ll need it.

Because sometimes you don’t do very well on a test, or you get stood up on a date, or your roommate is mean to you, or you just have a REALLY REALLY NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY and the only thing that makes it better is ice cream and “10 Things I Hate About You”. True story. Just keep stocked always. 

Three: Be prepared for late nights in the library and pack snacks accordingly.

My personal favorite was sour patch kids or sour gummy worms, but you can pick whichever candy speaks to you. Find a cubicle, bring a blanket so you can get comfortable, set your laptop up and get to work. Sometimes I’d spend 6 or 7 hours like that studying and completing assignments. You’ll learn soon enough that it’s nearly impossible to get all your work done in your apartment. People come in and out, everyone is going out and doing something exciting, friends bring over puppies from rent-a-puppy…the library or your major building are your best bets for quiet spaces to get your work done. 

Four: Be kind to your professors. Get to know them.

The best relationships I had with professors were when I initiated it. When I took time to talk to them after class, go to their office hours and ask questions when I didn’t understand something, I developed these amazing relationships that helped me when I needed it the most. I had a professor that understood my test anxiety so much that I was able to take my tests in his office instead of the testing center. I did SO MUCH better in that environment and it was a true assessment of my knowledge. Another professor would help me study for tests and broke down all the information after class so that I would really understand it. They know who is serious about their classes and they want to help you succeed.

Five: I am always only a phone call away.

Ok, I have been doing really good not crying up until this point but now the computer screen is all blurry again. Maybe it’s allergies… 😉 But this is for real. I am ALWAYS only a phone call away. Your school is my alma mater, so I know the campus really well. If you need food suggestions, activity ideas, secret study spots or just need to talk to your sister – I got you. I love you so so so much. I am SO proud of you. You are going to be SO successful and SO amazing in your education and your life. So, just call, ok? Or text. You facebook message. Or instagram DM. Literally all forms of communication. Send me corgi butts, gifs and pictures of your A+ tests so I can print them out and hang them on my fridge. 

ANYWAYS. I love you more than I can say. I can’t wait to watch you cross the stage tomorrow and grab that diploma. God knew what he was doing when he sent you to be my sister. Thanks for being so much more than a sibling. 

Love you forever and ever and ever,

Your big sister

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