A letter to my freshman self

Maddy Mercado

Dear freshman Maddy,

We’re reaching the end of high school in the next few months, and a new phase of our life will begin. Childhood is coming to a close, but it didn’t feel as carefree as most because of some traumatic situations. A vital thing to know is that we’re confident in our ability to style ourselves, which also means we can cut our bangs. Definitely out of our comfort zone, but that makes the experience fun.

Returning to our first year of high school, we forced ourselves into a different persona that wasn’t who we were. If I could go back and give you a piece of advice, it would be to stay true to who you are. The people who mistreat you or don’t appreciate you for who you are don’t deserve you. We have found many close friends while being our person, and they have stayed with us through thick and thin.

Since 2020, life has taken some bumpy roads: family issues, losing friends, and struggling to figure out our identity. Either way, we made it through high school and are almost out. There have been times when we were unsure if we could make it this far, but the most important thing is to stay strong and know it’s alright to lean on others for support.

Thinking about college is scary, but we should’ve thought about it sooner. It’s hard to understand where we stand with many things, including sports (because we’ve done at least three or four), but finding what we’re passionate about is difficult. We’ve tried many activities but never really dedicated our time to one. Burnout scared us when we were younger because we didn’t fully understand it.

Our experience with sports teams helped us make all our friends, and the friends made in middle school usually lasted for a year. Now, we have a secure support system and can easily rely on friends for help. As a senior, I appreciate the people I call family.

We have come far from where we were four years ago. I’m proud to say that I love the person I am, which is not something I can say every day. Our goals have shifted from stability to happiness. Today, I am pleased with who I am despite difficult situations.

Always remember to stay true to yourself and do your best to stay positive. I remember it was hard to do so, especially when COVID hit, but everything is temporary, and life will continue. I wouldn’t change anything that happened over the past four years at Carlmont, although they might not be the best memories, without them I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. Enjoy the experience while it lasts.

Sincerely,

Maddy Mercado