Most people are familiar with that feeling of nostalgia you get when you think about your childhood: that bittersweet sadness from missing how things were in that time of innocence and simplicity, that sense of love and compassion you feel for who you used to be now that you’ve grown and matured. But that version of you is never really gone because your childhood is the foundation of who you will become. 

With the constant changes and growth that occur throughout high school, whether that is preparing for graduation, adjusting to a new and nerve-wracking environment or just trying to understand who you are, it can be so easy to leave behind those distant memories. So the question becomes, how can we keep our childhood alive in the future?

Eric Wadsworth, a teacher as well as a coach for the girls’ golf team at Tualatin High School, gives his own advice on the topic. 

“I was the youngest of four boys and my parents demanded we respect rules, expectations and guidelines,” he said. “Naturally, we didn’t always follow those requirements and sometimes had to learn things the hard way…. I learned that effort and a positive attitude would be difference makers if I were to experience any form of success.” 

Using the lessons we learned growing up is a great way to see just how much of our childhood is still a part of our lives. We are who we are because of those experiences. 

A former student at TuHS, Margaret Phipps, who now attends Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, provided us with another great perspective on this matter.

 “My childhood impacts who and where I am now because my childhood dreams and aspirations helped me make decisions that put me here. I miss living at home in Oregon, but other than that, I love adulthood,” Phipps said. “To someone in high school, I would say that those years aren’t the most important in your life. It’s what you choose to do when you’re finally on your own and fully responsible that defines who you are and helps you reach your goals.” 

There’s no doubt that the way we grow up and the choices we make shape us into who we are. While those lessons we learned as a kid – like “the golden rule,” respect and time management – may seem unimportant and mundane, they are everything. If we can hold on to those dreams and beliefs from the past, our inner child will never leave us.