It is always nice to hear how former students are coping with life outside of high school.
Many students stay in touch after graduation.
“I miss school sometimes,” Jaedyn Thompson, class of 2025, said. “It’s just that I made so many memories and friends when I was in Chatham High School. Mentally, it’s been hard, especially since I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated high school. But physically, I’ve been pretty good. I’m still in the process of achieving my goals as of right now. Some of the changes I’ve experienced after graduating were falling out with most of the people I was cool with. I’ll see them every now and then, but we don’t have the bond we used to have when I was in school. The biggest achievement I’m proud of was graduating high school with COVID and all other delays I had. I was surprised I made it. I was really unmotivated at one point, but I knew I had to push through it and graduate.”
Some students are still achieving their goals such as football.
“Sometimes I miss the memories I had in high school,” Jaden Breedlove, class of 2025, said. “I’ve been good mentally and physically. I’m still achieving my goal of playing college football Concord College. No big changes have really happened to me since graduating. I’m still playing football and just focusing on school.”
Students have accomplished their goals and are raising kids of their own.
“I miss high school and being able to see all my friends and favorite teachers everyday,” Annie Terry, class of 2024, said. “I miss having a strict schedule. I have been great mentally since leaving high school and in better shape physically because I have more time to work out. I am currently in the process of applying to nursing school and completing my prerequisites for nursing school and that was one of my goals for when I graduated. I have also gotten my phlebotomy certificate which was another goal of mine that I’ve completed. One thing I did that I did not expect was getting pregnant and having my first son. He has been one of my biggest blessings and has pushed me to be better. I am most proud of continuing my college education even after having a baby.”
Some students miss the friendships that they had in high school.
“I miss high school and my old classmates a lot,” Kayla Davis, class of 2016, said. “It was so nice being able to be around my friends everyday and now that I have graduated, it is so different. The real world is a lot more mentally and physically draining than high school was for me. Working a full time job feels a lot more exhausting than going to school. I haven’t achieved my goals I set for myself yet, but it is something that I’m still set on achieving and work toward. COVID hit during my senior year of college and it made it very difficult for me to set out and do what I had planned originally. It interfered with internships and my senior seminar class which made it more difficult for me to get a job within my psychology degree. I think graduating from James Madison University and supporting myself is a big achievement that I am very proud of. Being independent is not an easy thing and being able to do that since I was 18 is something I’m proud of.”
Others don’t miss the high school experiences as much.
“I don’t really miss high school,” Bryan Arguetta, class of 2022, said. “I’d say I’ve been pretty good mentally and physically. I haven’t achieved my goals yet, but I’m still in school and working toward them. I didn’t expect to have a kid so soon, but I love being a dad.”
