“I think if someone
Had never been lonely.
Had never lacked a friend by their side,
This year was their time to learn.”

— NATHAN PADGETT FROM "THE YEAR I FELL IN LOVE WITH LIFE"

This poem stopped me. In my tracks. My eyes glued to this verse, curious what else I might learn from the student reflections published in Bozeman High School’s student newspaper.

I turned the pages of the insert, distributed alongside the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, fascinated by the comments about strength and resilience after a year in the midst of a pandemic.

Ayla Slate (a BHS senior) shared “I have learned what a strong and independent person I am.”

Ruby Walunis, a sophomore, exclaimed “I have learned to do things on my own.”

Senior, Josi Hinds listed “Don’t be afraid to be alone” as one of her top four lessons, concluding with “we’ve all learned about being alone in the past year, and I don’t think that was easy for anyone. But learning how to have fun by yourself has felt so liberating to me.”

It may be these students have cultivated a greater sense of self over this past year. This focus on independence and its corollary, freedom, came through loud and clear in seniors’ responses to what they were looking forward to in the next year. Although en route to a university two miles from his high school, Ryan Salomonsen shared being most excited about “having more freedom and rooming with friends.”

Ryan’s response brilliantly captures the central interplay across the quotes — interdependence. The opportunity to venture out on one’s own while in community with others.

Eva Horgan looks forward to “entering into a more diverse environment and meeting new people from all over the country.” Parker Summerhill commented, “I’m looking forward to being in a totally new environment with a brand new group of people and having the opportunity to learn and grow.” These students convey a near equal excitement to meet new people, experience new environments, and engage with new ideas.

Still others, like Marian Rosenberry, noted the ability to focus their interest in something they were really passionate about.

Now, not everyone knows what they are deeply passionate about at high school graduation. But they may have inklings of things they like, things they are good at — even if it is not what is considered ‘cool’.

Which leads to the final pervasive bit of wisdom dropped by Hawk seniors, summed up brilliantly by Malachi Allen, “Stop listening to your brain so much,” noting how easily the brain can be manipulated and taken over by what other people think.

Indeed, students report feeling pressure from peers, parents, teachers. Oftentimes, the pressure is around planning for the future. As a result, they agonize over grades, scores on standardized tests, the “right” mix of extracurricular activities — all to get into the “perfect” college. This stanza, published in Hawk Tawk (62(e. 8), May 27, 2021), captures this pressure perfectly,

“Fast forward, now we’re in junior year
A time that most students damn near fear
Cause of standardized testing, and college, and such
And you’ll often repeat, “This is way too much!”

— KROSS CARTER

A recent radio segment on NPR noted increased anxiety among teenagers especially in the past year. Yet, the pandemic may have only amplified the stressors teens confront on a regular basis (see the excellent series, Teens Under Stress, by Colorado Public Radio).

Andrew Ghicadus cautions against thinking too much “about what other people think”, advising instead to “do what makes you happy.” And not just in some reckless way but with an interest in your unique future. Not the future that others want to have for you; the one you envision for yourself.

Let’s be clear; this envisioning/designing a life doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process.

Life isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. Journeys have meandering paths, dead ends, and places to turn around. It’s with this deep insight into the journey that I close with a final lesson from the class of 2021. Malachi Allen recognizes the importance of planning and yet wisely notes “not to expect thing to happen exactly as you anticipated.”

If this year has taught us anything, let us have learned that we can plan the work, work the plan, and yet must respond to unknown, unexpected outcomes.

I am a teacher who believes that the best teachers are those who learn from and alongside their students. I am grateful for the lessons from the class of 2021. I hope to heed their wisdom.

Tricia Seifert is Founder and CEO of Success Prints. She is also a higher education professor at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. When not writing, she is either designing games to help students navigate the transition to college, baking rhubarb crisp, or walking her giant Great Dane.

Photo credit: Ryan Mahoney