Hi! My oldest is a sophomore graduating in 2022. I also have a son who's a freshman.
My oldest has always been a good student, but things started slipping and last year he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and went into inpatient treatment for a week. Just before that happened his grades went into the toilet and it's taken some time to get his meds right, but he's bouncing back academically this year. It's been a loooong and emotionally draining year. He's always been popular with the ladies, and his current girlfriend goes to a high school in a different town about 15 minutes away, but she's very sweet and a good influence. I wish I could convince him to join track, he runs a 7 minute mile without even trying. Imagine if he actually trained!! But he's really good at theater and debate, and that's where he feels most comfortable. He did Odyssey of the Mind in elementary and middle school, so that's no surprise to me (I coached teams for six years)
He has wanted to be a teacher for most of his life, but after all his therapy and psychiatrist appointments, he's interested in going the therapist route. He'd be great at it, he's so good with people and is incredibly self aware. He wants to go to college, but it makes me nervous to think of him going anywhere too far away, but that's mainly b/c of everything he's gone through with his mental health in the past year. Luckily there are a lot of options fairly close to us. We have an SEC school 20 minutes from the house, but I'd rather him go somewhere smaller even if it's farther. He has no interest in driving, which annoys me b/c he's already older than many of the kids in his class because of his birthdate (the cutoff for kindergarten is August 1, and his bday is August 8). I told him he doesn't have a choice much longer, I want both boys to take their permit tests over spring break, then they can take the driving test in August or September. I don't care if they actually drive, but they need to know how at least!
He's a good kid, and everything we've had to deal with has made me rethink so much about what is and isn't important regarding school, and which classes the boys take, all that kind of stuff. I am the president of a non-profit and we give a scholarship each year, so going over the applications year after year would always make me think, "are my kids behind on this, that, and the other? Are they doing enough community service? Are they taking hard enough classes?" and now I know that none of that matters in the long run. I'd rather him enjoy what he takes and WANT to do well vs. taking classes he thinks he's supposed to and stressing out over grades. Live and learn, right?
Nice to "meet" you all!! Sounds like some exceptional kiddos in this class of 2022