In light of the recent yearbook signing at Day on the Green, I have come to identify 3 distinct types of yearbook signers.  There are those who will ask anyone and everyone to write them an impersonal note in order to glorify the endless number of friends they seem to have throughout the school (Person A). In contrast, there are also those who are more selective in their need for notes; however, instead of badgering their own friends for personal notes, they seem to choose people they barely have ever spoken to. Person B seems to think the signing of a yearbook will lead to the blossoming of a newfound friendship.  Lastly, there are the genuine signers, who although don’t receive an ample amount of signatures, have books filled with long paragraphs reminiscing over the past year of shenanigans with their closest friends (Person C).

Upon identifying these types of yearbook signers, I realized each student’s specific desire for yearbook signatures reveals something about the type of high schooler they are and the way they value their high school friendships.  Person A values quantity or quality. While the word ‘HAGS’ may be scribbled throughout the white pages of their yearbook, they do not see the impersonal qualities of the meaningless commentary. When they look back on high school, they’ll be able to convince themselves that they were friends with absolutely everyone; everyone knew them, and everyone had something (short) to say about them.

Person B continually searches for new people to bring into their lives. They may identify with a certain friend group, but the fact that they ask for signatures from select non-friend peers they have never actually spoken to reveals their need for something beyond close companionship.  With a simple, “I wish I had gotten to know you better. Hopefully we can hang out this summer, hmu @ 650-327-3259,” this person believes they will be able to go beyond their current friend group, and find the high school fulfillment they yearn for.

Person C, the most modest of the three, cherishes their high school experiences and wishes to document their depth through their received signatures. Looking back, although they may not remember every person they met in high school, they will remember the few people they cherished most at the time; we may not realize it, but our teen years are the ones that contribute most to our development into adults. The people who we surround ourselves with now are the people we are destined to become (in select characteristics).  If in our later years, we have the ability to identify these people and how they affected us, we will be able to realize the true impact of high school.