The next chapter — a book giving at my old high school
No. 26 — The next chapter. A book giving at my old high school with 20 students in their senior year.
Of all the book exchanges and givings I’ve done, this one has meant the most to me. I graduated from high school 15 years ago and for most of those years, I tried to distance myself from it and my hometown as much as I could. It’s only in recent years that I’ve realized how much they informed who I am and how I move through the world, which is why I think I felt so drawn to coming back. To share something I love so much in a space that paved the way for where I am today. With that, though, I’ve also thought a lot about what I wish I would’ve had in those formative years of my life. There’s quite a few things that would make that list but I think stories from more diverse perspectives would be up there. Ones that would have made me feel less alone, ones that reminded me that there’s more to life than what was around me, ones that reassured me that the moment I was in was just one chapter in my life.
I’ve had the idea to do a book giving with students for a while, but it wasn’t until my best friend from high school had lunch with a former teacher that this idea actually came to fruition. She mentioned the idea to him and he loved it – we began emailing right away. The more we talked about it, the more excited I became, but also more nervous and a bit unsure. I remember what my friends and I were interested in during our teenage years and a book gathering would not have been one of those things. I was convinced that maybe 6 or 8 kids would sign up (if we were lucky) and I kept envisioning a group of unimpressed students looking at me, bored and waiting for it to be over.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case at all. Mr. Romero told me that the twenty spots filled up fast and that despite it being Senior Ditch Day, all of the students who signed up were still coming to the book giving on school campus even if they weren’t actually going to their classes. One had even driven her and her friends to an amusement park that morning, drove all the way back to school for the book giving by herself, and then drove back to meet up with her friends again afterwards.
When the students arrived, my cousin (who helped with the book giving and is just a year younger than me and shared the same high school!) and I were met with such warmth and excitement. Everyone was so kind and eager to get started and happily browsed the clues as they snacked on pastries and sipped coffee and matcha lattes from Flow Good Coffee.
As soon as everyone picked their books, we all sat in a circle on the grass outside and talked about the theme of the book giving: The Next Chapter. As the students participating were seniors getting ready for the next chapter in their lives, we took turns listening to what each were looking forward to most, as well as which part of the clue really resonated with them.
Some shared how they were ready to see more of the world and learn new perspectives. One talked about wanting to find her independence, as all of her happiness at this point has depended on others. A few talked about letting go of fears, expectations, limitations and the tendencies to compare. One shared her yearning for forgiveness for herself and for those around her. Another was looking forward to loving herself more, despite all the changes that she would go through. One talked about how she was ready to shed her teenage cynicism and find optimism in the world.
I was blown away by the vulnerability, maturity and introspection in their answers. I don’t think I would have had the same ability to articulate as well as they did at their age — and so honestly. It made me so hopeful for the generations to come and so grateful for teachers like Mr. Romero, who teaches his classes with such intention and thoughtfulness and encouragement that allows for his students to feel so comfortable with themselves and their feelings.
Thank you — to the students who showed up (on Senior Ditch Day, no less!) with such kindness and openness. To Mr. Romero for all the incredible work he does day in and day out, going above and beyond in providing a space like this for his students, and for allowing me to share something I love so much in a place that really shaped who I am. To Becca for making this happen! To Miranda, who spent countless hours emotionally supporting me through HS (this day included) — I would’ve never in a million years thought we’d go back, esp for something like this, but I’m so glad we did!!
