Perhaps they were preposterous. Painful, even. Maybe they were mad. (Because, surely, at some point, you had to have gone at least a tad mad.) Perhaps these past four years have taught you the gifts and wisdom of time—precious epiphanies and unending stories you will visit and revisit time and time again.

In celebration of all of the ways in which we have grown, here are three letters written by current seniors (Class of 2025), addressed to the versions of themselves who once stood at the crossroads of this youth, wondering what would come next.

First Stop…Letter #1

Dear Yareli,

It was more than you imagined. I remember the first time you actually walked into the building. It was the first day of freshmen connections and you were determined to make friends that would last you at least all four years of high school. It might not have turned out exactly how you imagined it, but you grew so much. 

It was a lot at first and it took time, but you found people that you connected with and spaces you felt like you belonged. Remember that one slide about Folklórico club during virtual Clubapalooza? It became a passion for you and one of the aspects that defined your high school experience. You definitely were not ready for I-Week culture, yet you embraced it all well and flourished in Folklórico. We learned how to dance from regions we had no prior knowledge of, designed vestuarios with a seamstress who lives down the street, created choreographies for the whole school and met some of the warmest and enthusiastic people. 

I remember you entered Northside with a big dream. You had no idea what it was exactly or how to get there, but you wanted to change the world and knew Northside was the place for it. Now, we still have a dream. But, we also have experience. We danced, read, spoke, wrote, listened, laughed and cried. At times, it was frustrating and draining, but it all worked out. We are still a girl with a dream determined to change the world. I hope I continue to have your enthusiasm and continue reaching for the stars.

With love,

Yareli Miranda

Now Departing For…Letter #2

Dear Freshman Year Kit Rady,

Life is not supposed to be that hard! Stop suffering trying to meet your self set expectations! There is no need to work so hard, no need to be so idealistic about your academic performance. No one cares if the graphs on your math homework are properly scaled: it’s graded for completion and no one will probably look at them after that evening. No one cares if that essay is boring and dry and nowhere near your best work: they aren’t asking for your best work, they are asking for something that fulfills the rubric. Learn to half-ass things, learn to save some energy for things only you are asking you to do!

In senior year, we have learned these things, and life is so much better for it. We bring some project to school every day, whether that’s crochet or sewing, or even programming or 3D modelling (which we have learned!). We crochet gifts for our friends, sew the holes in our favorite button ups closed, program our independent CS project that generates crochet patterns, and use the school’s 3D printers to print our models (the school has 3D printers!). We are energetic, helpful, and reliable, which has earned us freedom through the trust it creates with our teachers. We may have learned those lessons too slowly, and we may have had to face many challenges all on our own, but we are through to the other side and it is better than you could ever dream.

Sincerely,
Senior Year Kit Rady

All Aboard…Letter #3

Dear Vivian,

Looking back over the four years I have spent at Northside, I can’t help but smile to myself and marvel at your growth. While you weren’t able to accomplish all of the goals you set for yourself, you were able to learn a plethora of lessons that were formative to the person you are today. Once a shy, anxious freshman who found it hard to step out of her comfort zone, you found your place at Northside discovering new hobbies and flourishing alongside the greatest friends you could ever ask for. I implore you to be grateful for each and every experience that these years will bring, appreciate both the daunting challenges and the times of cathartic pleasure just the same. Particularly, I’m very proud of you for getting involved in photography and dance, it really allowed you to express yourself and share your artistic expression with others. I want to remind you that you are a beautiful person, and that you should never let any setbacks put limitations on how far you can go. You will never quite be perfect, because you will always be in pursuit of something more. So, embrace your desires and let them take you over yonder. Cherish this life while it lasts, I love you.

Warmest regards,

Vivian from the Future

P.s. You’ll be an amazing neurologist, work as hard as you want it.