Dear Jessica,
You survived Y2K. And even more importantly, the year 2000 gave you your best gift yet: “Love and Basketball.”
But on the downside, next year will also give you your third high school in three years (and no, reader, there are no juicy stories behind these moves–I promise). Instead of best friends, freedom on the weekends, starting positions on sports teams, and a Swedish boyfriend, you will get letter sweaters, blazers, Chapel, and a roommate you feel lukewarm about at best. Change upon change upon change.
This transition will be hard, but hey, at least you will be able to say one of your classmates was Erik Trump before he was THE Erik Trump (spoiler alert, he’s not cool now, and he still won't be in 2024.)
And, most importantly, these changes will serve you well in the future. You won’t meet your lifelong friends your senior year, but you will learn how to make good friends. You won’t play volleyball, but you’ll become the starting goalie on the varsity soccer team. Basketball will continue to be your true love, and you will learn to fight for playing time and a collegiate career. You’ll be in a classroom with peers who intimidate you but push you to think deeply.
This imposter syndrome won’t go away, but you’ll learn to see change as necessary for your growth and to seize those opportunities that emerge. And for those days when you need a little pick-me-up, “Love and Basketball” will still be there, served with a side of Mariah Carey.
Sincerely,
Jessica
Written by Jessica Pine