As my senior year begins, I began to think of some things I wish I knew as a freshman. Many of which were things I was constantly told, but I never realized how important they truly were. I’ve put together a list of the 10 most important things I wish I knew coming into my freshman year.

1. Never be afraid to be yourself.

People are either going to love you or hate you and once those ideas are formed, there’s nothing you can do to change it. So do what you love, dress how you want, and sing as loud as you can because high school is about finding yourself, not conforming to what society wants you to be.

2. Keep your grades up.

Every teacher you speak to will tell you the same thing: keep your grades up because you’re going to regret not trying your best. Believe it or not, but your future pretty much depends on your grades (no pressure). Even if you're not planning on going to college, future employers look at your grades. As my school superintendent says: “Your high school transcript will follow you to your grave.”

3. Get involved.

You may think that you're going to be made fun of for being involved, but guess what? At the end of your high school years, you're going to regret not being as involved as you could be. You’ll meet great people that might just become your best friends and it will look great on college applications.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Whether it’s a teacher, an upperclassman, or the girl that sits next to you in your freshman English class, you would be surprised at who would be willing to help you.

5. That senior boy doesn’t love you, hun.

Let’s be honest here for a second. In high school, there’s pretty much one thing that guys want and it’s not your intelligence. Don’t get me wrong, there are a couple of the lucky girls that score the jackpot when it comes to guys, but nine times out of ten, you're not going to be that lucky. As a freshman, you're naive and you're at a new school where the guys are “soooo hot,” but don't think for a second that the senior boys don't see that and won’t try take advantage of you.

6. Make new friends.

The friends you have right now might not be there for forever. Going into high school, I truly believed that the friends I had all through middle school would be there for the rest of my life. When I actually got to high school, I slowly realized that my “best friends” weren't there anymore. I even made new friends, but by the time I was starting my junior year, I only had three people who stuck by my side throughout the years. In fact, none of the friends I had in middle school are still my friends. Yes, we text occasionally just to check up on each other, but I wouldn't call them my best friends anymore. People are right when they say that high school changes people. There’s just too much peer pressure and circumstances to remain the same person you were in middle school.

7. Volunteer.

I can’t push this one enough. Get involved within your community and start doing nice things for people other than yourself. Talk to your counselor and find some opportunities to volunteer, whether it be with your local hospital, the animal shelter, or just watching your neighbor’s kids for free. You weren't put on this earth to just help yourself. There are tons of people out there that need your help that you may be blind to. Be open to opportunities to help others.

8. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

If you got into an argument with your best friend or you failed a test that knocked you down a letter grade, don't sweat about it. Your high school years are too short to be worried about such small things. Your friend and you will make up, or you'll make new friends. There will be tons of other opportunities to raise your grade or beef up your transcript. Try to enjoy the short amount of time you have in high school.

9. Stand up for what you believe in.

Whether it be religion or political viewpoints or even your friends, stand up for what you think is right. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. Just keep in mind that not everyone will have the same viewpoint as you. You're going to face controversy. In fact, it’s inevitable. You can’t please everyone, so stop trying. Stand up for what you believe in, be ready to defend your beliefs, and, more importantly, be open to different opinions. You will learn so much about others and yourself through keeping an open mind.

10. Be nice to everyone.

That guy that sits alone at lunch? He’s contemplating suicide. That girl that wears the same shirt every week? Her family can barely afford their next meal. That guy in the gym that’s “too fat” to be working out? He has a thyroid issue and is extremely self-conscious of his body. Go out of your way to be nice to people; you never know what their story may be. Instead of putting all that effort into being making fun of people and judging, put it towards something good like complimenting the girl whose hair is on point or the guy who has beautiful eyes or the person that sits next to you who aces every test.

If you take nothing out of this list, take this: don't take your time for granted. High school will fly by. Make the most out of every day and start each day with a happy mindset. Many of these were cliche, but I wish I would've listened when I was told. I wish you all the best of luck as you enter the next four years of your life.

With love,

Marielle