A 2020 Gift for High School Seniors

a family gathering outdoors

Holiday music is everywhere these days. Lots and lots of “home for the holidays” and “I’ll be home for Christmas.” Well, it’s 2020 and the holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa—will not be the same. Maybe it should be “I’ll Zoom Home for Christmas” this year….

Although 2020 has been challenging (understatement!), maybe there’s a tiny silver lining for high school students. Maybe, just maybe, they won’t have to field as many (well-meaning) family interrogations that often occur during the holidays: “Where are you applying?” “Any decisions yet?” And, the ever popular, “What do you want to be?”

This year’s seniors are balancing a lot: classes (in-person, online, hybrid); staying focused and fit without organized activities to keep them connected; worried parents and  friends; and—oh yes!—the college application process.

Let’s all make an early New Year’s resolution to not quiz every senior we encounter this season. Let’s give them space. And, if you just can’t help yourself … perhaps this piece will inspire new ways of supporting the high school seniors in your life.

Wishing you the best holiday season you can have while staying safe. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. May 2021 bring you and your family peace, good health, and a renewed sense of purpose.