15 Sep 2015

I finished high school three years ago this week, and since so many of you will be graduating in a few days, I thought I’d take a little trip down memory lane.

The thing I remember most about the last week of school was that everyone loved each other like never before. People who hadn’t really been friends, hadn’t even really interacted before, or didn’t even like each other became BFFs, bonding over the fact that we soon would be free of the four walls that had forced us together every day for the last six years. It was our last chance.

The week was fresh, fine and summery, I remember the feel of it. I don’t know how to explain the feeling, but you will probably know by the end of this week – everything is better and brighter and more fun. You’re feeling a bit sad, but mostly excited, and you just want the sunny school days to go on forever (because you’re not in class and you’re having a great time with the whole grade). Something about it makes you a little bit crazy.

We had a theme each day of our last week, and we gradually attended fewer and fewer classes as the week went on. We did the ever classic “gender bender” day, over the course of which we girls performed many feats we were usually restricted from with our school skirts (namely, a lot of cartwheels, and lying on the floor with our feet up on the benches. There is sadly a lot of photographic evidence of this).

We also had a “90s/kids day” where we dressed up as children in our old primary school uniforms or whatever we had that fit the theme. There were a lot of pigtails going round on that day. We all brought our old Razor scooters and blasted throwback tunes across the quad, played hopscotch, skipping and clapping games, as well as a giant grade game of 44 Homes. Every single photo of me from this day features at least one lollipop, so I assume they went round as well. (In fact, it’s every photo from the whole week–I remember lollipops being a vital part of Year 12 for me).

Our last full day was a water themed day where we all brought SuperSoakers, waterguns, waterbombs and blow up pools and spent the whole time trying to get each other soaking wet. I remember towards the end of the day I ended up sitting around drying off in the sun with a very assorted group of people, just talking about our memories of our school careers, our embarrassing moments and favourite teachers. It was such a great end to the week, before our official graduation the next day.

One of the best parts about finishing Year 12 is that because that time is so pivotal in your life, things like songs, quotes, feelings, even the weather, become ingrained in your memory with it forever. Creating a grade video is one of the best ways to capture the fun of the week, your year’s inside jokes and also the songs you’ll never forget from your graduation year. Plus, you can always watch it when you get nostalgic (like me, for example, right now).

I am blessed to have graduated in 2012, which was honestly the time of some truly iconic bangers: Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style, What Makes You Beautiful and Thrift Shop. The memories and feelings that flood through me every time I hear We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together are all associated with the sunniness of the end of school, the hill that was our lunch spot, and my friends dancing to it at every party. Our video incorporated a parody of the What Makes You Beautiful and Gangnam Style music videos, plus teachers and students (and the principal) lip syncing and dancing to Carly Rae Jepsen. We also used the classic Arthur theme as a backdrop for the childhood day section of the video – it’s a weirdly inspirational song, if you think about it.

The last week of high school will be one of the best times of your life. You’ll come away with feelings you never thought you’d feel, memories you’ll remember for the rest of your life, and a school shirt covered in scribbles from your friends that will definitely have at least one dick drawn on it. It’s a time for celebration before graduation day, so make the most of it. Become best friends with everyone, get silly, and support each other when the ultimate moment finally comes–school’s out forever.