From a Teen’s Perspective: Thank you notes are worth it

In times of transition, practicing gratitude is important. As we seniors prepare to graduate high school and begin college, the future can seem scary. However, one easy way to fortify your confidence in yourself and your future is to remind yourself of all the valuable relationships you’ve built along the way with people who support you.

Additionally, those people deserve to hear how much you appreciate their support. I encourage my fellow seniors to write thank you notes to teachers, friends, family, and other integral supporters of your high school experience.

Here are some tips on writing meaningful thank-you notes that will uplift both you and the recipient:

1. Thank you notes should be specific: Tell the person what you appreciate about them specifically. Giving unique compliments shows people you care and recognize their individual strength and support.

2. Deliver them in person: The point of a thank you note is to show someone you’re willing to go the extra mile to celebrate them. Why not go the extra-extra mile and hand it to them directly? Plus, you might get to stick around and see your note’s positive impact right then and there.

3. Buy or home make a real card: Put the scratch paper down and deliver something thoughtfully crafted or selected from a quality store like Paper Source. Nothing compliments heartfelt words like a beautiful card.

4. Talk about impact: The best way to show someone your gratitude is to describe how they’ve changed your life for the better. Whether it’s a teacher who helped you pass a class, a coach who pushed you to be your best, or a sibling who always lends a listening ear and raises your spirits, let them know how much they’ve helped.

Thank you notes can be deeply personal, so everyone’s can and should be different. These are just a few tips to get you started and provide some insight into how you can ensure your note has a profound impact on its recipient.

We all have people to thank for our success, so as we approach the grand achievement that is graduation, make sure you let those people know how much you appreciate them.

Got any topics you want me to cover? Email dylanclarklanier@gmail.com with your requests!

Dylan Lanier is a senior at Menlo-Atherton High School; his column appears weekly.