I guess this is supposed to be advice to future generations of Tower students. After all this time, I thought I could write pages of advice. But as the years go by, the advice that I have has turned into fragments. So here are fragments of advice with no background information, no boring story or structure.

School is hard, deal with it. School lunch is gross—don’t eat that stuff. Having a short attention span makes it hard to focus in class? Drink an iced matcha latte with two pumps of white mocha and sweet vanilla cold foam. That should help. Typing with long nails will be hard for students who are beauty queens like myself. Don’t cut them and keep a fresh set. You might feel sad that you can’t afford Lululemon—don’t buy it, they have the same clothes on sale right now at Fabletics. Your friends talk about you when you are not around? Drop them before they can drop you. College search going bad? Don’t go. You will get dress coded at school; you learned your lesson. If you see your crush while out with your friends, don’t giggle or go on your phone, approach them and speak like a normal human being. Don’t feel confident? Turn your mirror around. Hate your hair? Cut it. Love your hair? Leave it. If you want to lose weight, ask a friend to go with you to the gym. If you want to gain weight, drink a vanilla “Ensure.” Your devices will die at school; pack two chargers in your bag at all times. The soft-pull toilet tissue is not soft—pull lightly. Ask questions during class, even if you know the answer. Someone took your AirPods? Take a free pair from the lost and found.

Fridays will feel like Thursdays, it’s Thursday. Don’t eat Mr. C’s for lunch every day, you will get massive diarrhea. Don’t feel stupid around smart people, you will look stupid. Telling someone to be who they are can delay the start of that from ever happening. Wear a sports bra 3 times a week. Farms is not the only place to eat unless you like spending 40 dollars a week on diabolical food. You got kicked out of your house? Go ask for help and save your money. If you feel you are being racially discriminated against, threaten them with the gift of silence. Hurt people hurt people. Feeling sad, listen to Sofayfo, Future and Malcom Tood. Don’t listen to toxic music—I know it’s catchy. That’s the point. Feeling like you can reach the stars, keep yourself humble and grounded. Cats hate water because wet fur makes them uncomfortable, so don’t collect large amounts of wet fur. Farms pizza will kill you over time. Go to the Tower Boston trip, it’s fun. Don’t stay up too late doing homework; you will fail. Please get a job during high school; you won’t know the value of a dollar until it’s yours, and you just look silly without one. Let’s pause, I hope this is helping you.

Moving on. Lock your doors when you park in front of the school or anywhere in Grosse Pointe—thieves are everywhere. You will feel jealous of your best friend, it’s life. Keep your car clean, it’s therapeutic. Don’t take Ms. _____ class, you will pass out from boredom. Mr. Booth is a great guy, he will become your favorite teacher. Your mom will call you ten times during the school day; she will become your best friend when you realize life is bigger than yourself. You will cry in the bathroom at least once during high school. Wear a mask in the cafeteria, it smells like dead animals in there. Laugh out loud in class, especially at the teacher’s jokes. If someone is comfortable telling you someone else’s business, best believe they are telling yours to someone else. Girls with unnatural blond hair are the sweetest. Don’t lie about your age, it makes you seem more mature. Speak up and always advocate for yourself. Don’t ask your parents for money; be financially independent by junior year. There will be teachers who don’t have your best interest—prove them wrong. Staying in Grosse Pointe will rot your brain. Not one teenager drives their own BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar or Cadillac, so don’t feel jealous. The “ick” trend ruined the year 2023. Every Tower student swears that aren’t coming back in the upcoming year, but they always do—I did.

I hope this advice can not only stick with you but also make you realize how much energy high school takes from you. From thinking I could write whole pages of advice, to barely writing two. With every hardship, there will be light, so continue to follow your light and your path.
Morgan Payne