The Gift of Time
Fiona Goodall • August 29, 2024
A Message to Our School Leavers
It's that time of year when Year 12 students are nearing the end of their school journey, with only a few short weeks to go. You might be cringing every time someone asks, "So what do you want to do after school?"
To this, I say:
- If you know, great. If you don't, you're just as lucky. This is an exciting time to try life on and see what fits!
- Rest assured, you have time—a lifetime of it. Time is a gift.
- Youth is also a gift, and you only get it once. Don’t squander it.
- Be curious. Be open to opportunity.
- Adulting is the long haul. Yes, grow up, but don't be in a hurry.
- Be wary of advice to 'follow your passion' and 'do what you love.' It's well-meaning but misguided. A select few will have discovered their passions or talents at this early stage. For the rest, you have a lifetime to find out, and much to look forward to!
- If your work or study doesn't align with your interests, that's okay. Having a passion on the side gives you an escape from work and adulting—you’ll need it.
- Don't fear healthy risks. You'll either learn from them or grow. Having a go is better than the 'what ifs'.
- Embrace healthy mistakes and never stop making them. They're the making of us all.
- Dip your toe in safe waters while remembering who your lifeguards are.
- Don’t expect to start at the top. In fact, I pity anyone who does. Instead, start from the bottom. This will give you a firm foundation of the skills you’ll need higher up the ladder. Without them, you're likely to fall, and it may be from a great height.
- Choose your tech diet carefully. Embrace its wonders but don't let it rob you of experiences. Be mindful of the social media and ‘world news’ you consume. Otherwise, they will consume you.
- Enjoy the restlessness and uncertainty. The fire that burns inside you is exciting. Keep it stoked with curiosity—otherwise, it might fizzle out.
- Respect yourself and others. Respect this world.
- Choose your people wisely, but remember that people move on. Not everyone will be ‘your people,’ and it’s okay for you to move on too.
- When choosing your people, remember quality over quantity.
- Don’t change to fit others—find those who are a good fit for you.
Finally, as you hang up your uniforms and enjoy (or endure) the farewells and fanfare, take a moment to stop. Breathe. Give yourself credit for getting through 13 years of school—that's no small feat, and it's exhausting. Whatever your journey through school has been, hold onto the positives and let go of the rest. School was for a time, only a fragment of your life; it doesn’t define you.
Look forward, look outward, and look up. You will grow, and you will discover who you are meant to be. Now begins the true journey of learning who you are meant to be, and although you may never fully figure it out, that’s part of the adventure. After all, how boring would it be to know everything about yourself now, with nothing left to discover?!
I wish you lives that are full—full of healthy mistakes, wonderous experiences, and people who fill your buckets. And I thank you for being the future caretakers of our planet. I am confident we are in good hands.
Image retrieved from Freepik.com
Link: https://shorturl.at/keF4O
The Importance of Catch Ups in Building Quality Friendships At Making Connections Toowoomba (MCT), our social skills programs focus on helping young people understand the characteristics of a quality friendship. One important element we teach is the value of catching up . Friendships, like all meaningful relationships, require effort from both people – and catching up in person plays an essential role in maintaining and strengthening these connections. Why Catch Ups Matter Catching up gives us the opportunity to share experiences, deepen trust, and reinforce the bond between friends . It’s during these moments that friendships are nurtured, mutual interests are explored, and memories are built. For neurodivergent young people, learning the purpose and benefits of catch ups can help make social connections more intentional, rewarding and long lasting. Understanding Individual Differences Catch ups come with an important reminder: just as no two friendships are identical, catching up looks different for everyone. Some people enjoy catching up weekly – or even more often – while for others, the occasional catch up is enough. It’s important to recognise that we all have different social needs and varying " social batteries. " Some young people recharge quickly and look for regular connection, while others need more time between social interactions. Pushing beyond our social limits can lead to fatigue, burnout and social avoidance, which can affect the quality of the friendship, and our ability to consolidate an emerging friendship. Making friends with people who respect our individual social thresholds helps build sustainable, quality friendships. It’s also important to remember that the way we catch up can look different too. For some, a catch up might mean doing activities together the entire time, while for others, simply sitting near a friend, sharing space quietly, is enough to feel connected. Both are valid ways of nurturing friendships. Catch Ups vs. Hanging Out It’s important to distinguish between "hanging out" and "catching up." Hanging out is often more spontaneous and casual, with no set structure or time limit. It usually relies heavily on ongoing conversation without a clear shared activity, which, while enjoyable for some, can sometimes feel overwhelming or stressful for neurodivergent individuals (not all, but often). In contrast, catching up usually has a more intentional purpose: connecting and spending time together, often through a shared activity around a common interest. Planning a catch up around something specific to do provides a natural focus for conversation and interaction, which can ease social pressure. For those learning to build friendships, an intentional, structured catch up can often be a more comfortable and successful way to strengthen connections — especially in the early stages of a new friendship. For catch ups to be successful, especially for young people learning these skills, it helps to have a few strategies in place: Plan ahead – agree on a time, place, and activity and communicate this clearly Choose an activity-based meet up – having something to do can ease social pressure (e.g. if you both like bowling, movies, or art/craft) Set time limits – keeping catch ups short can help manage social energy and have everyone leaving wanting more Have a backup plan – having a Plan B ensures there’s still something to do if things don’t go to plan or if someone gets bored At Making Connections Toowoomba, we believe teaching these strategies helps young people feel more confident in making and keeping friends. If you want to learn more about how to support your child, teen, or young adult in developing meaningful friendships, explore our social skills programs: Prep and Grade 1: PEERS for Early Years Primary School Grades 2 to Grades 8: Social Skills Program Teens 14–18: PEERS for Teens Young Adults 18–30: PEERS for Adults
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