Whether they’re inspirational, witty, nostalgic or heartfelt revelations, yearbook messages should leave a lasting impression.

High school students crave for more than yearbook’s signature standbys — “keep in touch,” “friends forever,” “good luck at (insert college choice).” Also, penmanship counts.

“I try to make my handwriting look nice,” said Jodie Cochrane, a 2004 Lawrence High School graduate and yearbook editor. “I want to make the message brief, but sometimes I write long for the friends who have really touched my life.”

Last week, Cochrane and other editors passed out the Red & Black yearbook, featuring the theme “Converge Diverge,” to classmates during a yearbook-signing party in the LHS cafeteria. During the gathering, several students leafed through the pages, checked the index to find out how many times their photo made the yearbook. Then, with pen in hand, the students scoured the room in search of classmates to sign their book.

“I’ll sign the book of anyone who asks me to, and of course I’ll ask them to sign mine to be nice,” said Cochrane, headed this fall to Johnson County Community College. “You want to send a good message to your friends and not a fake one. If they have a nickname, I’ll start out with that, or an inside joke, I’ll start with that. I always sign ‘Love, Jodie’ no matter who it is, and also ‘take care.'”

Sincerity is recommended, especially among good friends.

“You have to honest,” said Stephanie Orton, LHS junior. “I try personalize everyone. I might spend a lot of time on one, but if I don’t really have anything to say to the other person, I’ll write ‘I’m glad you had a good summer’ or ‘summer went by too fast.'”

Conserving space is essential for students trying to acquire many signatures. Big and bold handwriting can be a turnoff, Orton said.

“I try to take up some room but not write so big that it’s obnoxious,” she said. “I had somebody write on every single one of my pages. I had no clue who they were.”

From left, Lawrence High School students Jenny Schaetzel, senior, Emma Markley, junior, and Christy Allen, junior, sign yearbooks last week at the school's signing party.

Jennifer Crowe, LHS junior, was determined to get signatures from as many classmates as she could during the two-hour event.

“I mainly get to my friends first so they have something to remember me by,” she said. “I try to be original.”

Zach Elmore, a 2004 LHS graduate headed to Middlebury College in Vermont, said any classmate who wanted to sign his yearbook could. He said he preferred writing and receiving inspirational messages, rather than witty remarks.

“I try not to sound stupid,” he said. “I try to wish people best of luck. It’s tough to try to come up with original stuff with people you don’t know that well.

“It’s going to be the last time I see a lot of these people. I’m sure these messages will mean a lot to me later.”

While underclassmen will have more opportunities to acquire signatures during the school year, the yearbook party was the last chance for the Class of 2004 to see a lot of their classmates.

“I want to connect with people before they leave for school,” Cochrane said.

Free State High School graduates Tyler Carmody, left, and Brian Sears laugh at some pictures in the Talon, the school's yearbook.

If they’re like her, Heather Lawrenz, LHS yearbook adviser, said students would appreciate the messages more in a few years.

“When I look back at my high school yearbooks, I enjoy reading the signings that are funny or remind me of friendships or moments in time,” she said.