You won’t know the real milestones till later.
School years are filled with commonly accepted milestones. First Day of School, Homecoming, the SAT, Prom, Graduation Day, and on and on.
But while those events might turn out to be memorable or even significant, my experience suggests that real milestones happen in between the “official” ones.
A rehearsal where an important idea finally clicked. A weekend where a major decision was made. A family game night where everything felt magical. The day you met your future best friend. A normal choir concert where you got to sing your first solo.
My hope for my students is that they put less stock in the “official” milestones and live every day to the fullest – because today might be a milestone day.