Three Decades Since My High School Graduation

With graduation approaching for another year, the majority of high school seniors are no doubt more than ready to leave their school days at this level behind. Most are likely counting down the days, hours even, until their tassels were officially turned.

It’s probably that way at any high school in our country whether large or small. It’s a safe bet to say 99 percent of seniors can’t leave their alma mater for the last time quick enough.

Let it be known I was actually among that one percent that didn’t want those days to end. I’m not going to pretend everything was perfect back then. Peer pressures and ridicule are things I certainly don’t miss. I know that has not changed much from 1989 to 2019.

I was never the most popular student, never had the attention of the most female schoolmates and certainly was not the best athlete in the school. In looking back now it would have been great to have had the highest grade point average but that wasn’t the case either.

Still, I was smart enough to be able to see the bigger picture in all of this. For the majority of my first 18 years going to school with many of the same people became my routine. It wasn’t always perfect but I knew the routine and knew what to expect day to day. Some days were better than others and at times I probably did wish I could leave it all behind.

However, I also knew (even at an age where I was still learning) that things were about to change in a big way. While my education would continue through four years of college, the classes would be harder. I would also be going away to college so my comfort zone of my home and my hometown were not going to be there they had always been before.

I remember the night before my small high school class graduated my classmates and our parents held a cookout in honor of the event. With the exception of a couple of my fellow Class of 1989 members most were eager to dive head first into the proverbial empty pool that awaited them.

During that pre-graduation cookout I vividly recall a conversion with a classmate.

“You know things will never be like this again,” he said to me.

“I know,” was my response. “I know.”

Following graduation several members of my class went on a senior trip to Panama City Beach. We stayed several days and soaked up the Florida sun and each other’s company as a group for the last time.

Some of my classmates I have not seen since that trip to the beach. Others I have kept in touch with even though I live an hour from my hometown. Some are even experiencing our alma mater in a different way now as their own children are students at the same place walking the same hallways we used to.

I always tell high school seniors to not rush the end of this chapter of their lives. It will end soon enough as some continue their education, some enter the military and some immediately go in the work force.

A while back I asked a former classmate what he missed most about being young.

“Not paying bills,” was his immediate answer.

As the diplomas are handed out to the Class of 2019, I think back to the Class of 1989. Since graduating there have certainly been good times but there is always the stress of work, paying bills and for most a family of their own.

The carefree days of youth at times seem light years behind us and there still is no time machine in sight. It’s hard to truly comprehend that my graduation from high school is now 30 years in the rear view mirror. It would take a series of columns to truly detail all that has changed. In that amount of time one experiences much change and certainly much loss.

There are good times of course but with each passing year and each graduating class we realize that Father Time’s hourglass is emptying. It’s not easy think about.

I can take comfort in knowing much about my old high school is still very much the same. Also, my parents still live in the same house I grew up in leading to my graduation. It is comforting to know that some things in May of 2019 remain similar to May of 1989.

Monticello native Chris Bridges is a long-time newspaper columnist. He has earned awards for his columns from the National Newspaper Association, the Georgia Press Association and the Georgia Sports Writers Association. He welcomes feedback from readers of The Monticello News at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.