Everyone looks at high school as the last step to freedom, and can't wait to graduate, but there are things to be learned about life during high school, not just how to solve polynomials and write really good essays. Some of the greatest lessons I've learned were learned outside the classroom, during everyday life. Don't get me wrong, teachers are some of the best people on the planet, and have so much to offer, and you can learn more than Hardy Weinberg EQ and crazy sentence structure from them. High school is literally one of the craziest times in people's lives, but there's a lot to learn, and these 10 topped my list.

1. Your best friends freshman year will not be your best friends your senior year.

Fact of the matter is that you change and so do your friends. You're not gonna be enemies but you'll grow apart and it'll be okay. Just because you find soccer interesting and she likes basketball and you both make new friends doesn't mean you'll never speak again. Change is scary but it's good, and you'll grow more as a person in learning how to make new friends and continue to maintain long lasting relationships.

2. People aren't always who they say they are.

Along with changing friend groups, finding new people and learning how to trust them is a huge responsibility, because especially with girls, some just want the drama. It's hard to avoid it, but harder to get out of it once you're involved. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but be careful who you share personal information with because it's important to you, but the other person might not care. On the other hand, some people are in the same shoes that you are and want new friends and a change of scenery, and the only way to make true and genuine friends is to always be yourself.

3. Avoid the drama.

There are people that feed off of tearing other people down and putting their noses where they don’t belong. DON’T BE THAT PERSON! The way people talk about people to you is the way that they talk about you to other people. It’s impossible to avoid drama because not everyone is going to be your friend, and that’s okay. You’re awesome the way you are and don’t change that for anyone else. If people are talking about you even if you haven’t talked to them, it’s their problem that they like you so much they can’t stop talking about you.

4. Don’t be someone you’re not to please other people.

As I said before, not everyone is going to like you, and it’ll be okay. As a freshman, you just want to fit in, and as a senior, you’ll have two or three friends you’ll want to talk to throughout college, but you won’t have hundreds of BFF’s. People will like you for you and if they don’t, it’s their loss because you’re nothing short of awesome.

5. Your family are your friends.

Sure, everyone goes through their “phase”, but guess who was there the whole time? Mom and dad, trying to let you spread your wings instead of telling you you look stupid. A lot changes in four years, people come and people go, literally and figuratively, and change is hard. Don’t be afraid to include mom and dad in what’s happening in your life because they care and there's a 99% chance they can help you. As annoying as siblings can be, they’re there for you. If they’re older, they’re watching out for you and want to help you through everything you don’t want to tell mom and dad. If they’re younger, they want to talk to you about the big kid stuff and they’re looking up to you. Set an example, but be okay with being vulnerable.

6. Eat whatever the heck you want.

Don’t let the girls with flat stomachs and the guys with the giant muscles deter you from eating that Chick Fil A and large milkshake. Your metabolism will take care of it now, but as you get older and it slows down, a cheeseburger will take two weeks to burn off. Enjoy it while it tastes good and leaves without a trace. On the other hand, if you like the healthier options, good for you, but we all know you need a milkshake and large fry from time to time, too.

7. It’s okay to not be okay.

High school is not easy, by any means. Class is hard and people are mean and that takes and emotional toll on you, because you’re not bulletproof, whether you believe that or not. It’s okay to not have straight A’s and a smile on your face at all times. It’s okay to come home and cry and take a bubble bath and just relax and go to bed early. The daily wear and tear of high school will catch up with you, so don’t be afraid to have a day to yourself and get back into the swing of things when you’re ready. Grades and an education are important, but so are you.

(Side Note: If you ever feel physically, mentally, or emotionally fatigued to the point where you feel like harming yourself or others, there are people that love you that would love more than anything to get you back to feeling like yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help.)

8. Be careful what you post on social media.

There are a lot of people that start high school and think that it's a free pass to go crazy and make sure everyone knows about it because they think its “cool”. When applying for jobs, college, scholarships, and other important things that can change your life, it would be pretty embarrassing if they found the photos and videos of you doing something illegal because you plastered them all over your social media new feeds, wouldn’t it? Social media is so much fun and is such an awesome place to connect with friends and family that aren’t geographically close to you. However, once its on the internet, it never goes away and people have access to it at all times. Forever.

9. It’s much more beneficial to actually do the assignment rather than copying from a classmate.

Think about it: it’s the night before the math test and you’ve been copying the whole unit of notes off of your best friend so all you have to do is copy them the day before they’re due and binge watch Netflix instead of doing the homework. Sure, you get the credit, but not enough to cushion your grade for getting an F on a test. It takes more time, but you learn more and build good study habits from actually doing the assignment.

10. Safe is so much better than sorry.

Peer pressure is a real thing, but don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with just to fit in with the crowd. Your values, morals, and safety are much more important than having friends. It’s okay to say no, and no means no. If people don’t understand that, they don't care about you and you should find a new crowd. If your gut tells you something, go with that feeling because your first gut instinct is almost never wrong.

High school is a new season of life and it's crazy, fun, and tough, but you’ll survive. There’s more fun than tough, and there's even more crazy, so enjoy the ride before it’s over.