As the time for college acceptance and graduation gets closer, we recall our their memories of this school, their friends, teachers and trips. According to the Society of psychotherapy, letting go of things can have a deep psychological effect. Fear and anxiety is another emotional component.

A grieving person may exhibit feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, hurt and anxiety. Sudden loss means rapid change and demands great adjustment. Starting over, with a new job, with a new career, new relationships, can be a frightening experience. Since the loss usually is not of one’s own choosing, there may be great anxiety about an unknown future. The greater the loss, the greater the potential change, the greater the anxiety and fear. Joining a support group where people can freely express their worries in a supportive environment can help reduce needless anxiety.

MBHS senior Sarah Carrillo said that she is looking forward to graduating. “I feel empowered because I finally graduated and I can be independent.” Another,  Sory Kora, said, “I feel very complete and I feel like I can get a job and support my family and get on my own feet.” These students are ready to take the next step and anticipate it being exciting.

But, as we graduate, we aren’t the only ones to lose friends and leave our memories. In Millennium Brooklyn, we have Advisories where the advisor has one set of students for all of there four years in the school. Teachers build connections with their advisories and often refer to them as their family.

I asked Caryn Davidson, an art teacher who has been in this school since the first year it opened in 2011 how she felt about students leaving to go to millennium. She responded,  “the experience is obviously very sentimental. Teaching the founding class of a school is an especially unique experience and creates much more of a familial and emotional connection. I will be overwhelmed with intense feelings and reflections when the class graduates.”

Non-profit organization, Help Guide, says that people react in different ways, experiencing a wide range of physical and emotional reactions. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to think, feel, or respond to change. So people who feel confident in changing their lifestyle and are ready to move on, might have some subliminal change where they wont notice.

Everyone is going to have a day in their life where they will have to let go of something and embrace change. The day is approaching where we will graduate. Everyone will have a different thought on leaving and everyone is going to have different effects. Moments like these will occur multiple times in your life, whether you lose a close relative or friend, if you move and have leave your old life behind, or if someone new is introduced in your life. All MBHS students graduating should feel good about becoming older and taking a new step in their lives.