1. Failure is inevitable..
If someone would have told me that failing is promised or inevitable, I would have been so shocked. It isn’t often that we can see something “negative” as something “positive”. I once read a quote, my senior year, from Michael Jordan. I’d seen the quote before, but I never processed the severity of the quote. He said, “ I've failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed”. Kind of backwards, a little confusing, but self explanatory. We know that Jordan is one of the best there is. So, you would think, that if he failed, it wasn’t a lot. After reading that quote, I realize now, that we are human. You won’t always be able to thrive in every sport, hobby, or class. You won’t always be able to be everyone’s hero. Being spread out and being well-diverse, is necessary, however sometimes we can spread ourselves too thin, and we lack the necessary traits for the job. There is no greater teacher than one’s own mistakes. So, rather than dropping your head when you fail a test or didn’t miss the shot in a game, keep your head higher, and strive for greater success.. because after all, failure is a productive part of a struggle.
2. You don’t have to be in a relationship.
I was in a relationship from my freshman year up until a quarter of my junior year.A couple of months later, I began another relationship. It wasn’t that I felt like I always needed someone to be with, but they were fun. Now, fun probably wasn’t the “best” word to use, because in no way am I trying to rob anything from the relationships, but they were. They are fun. But, if I had to tell myself a piece of advice, I would explain that despite the hype of relationships, having friends can be better, in some cases. Think about it, “friends” and “relationships”. You do almost the same things. Wait a minute, how can you do the same things with a friend as you can with your boyfriend. Sounds weird..I know. Well, growing up with a pastor for a father, that in which I visited church services at least two-three times a week, I feel as though you do the same things. Hang out, dinner, movies, text, talk on the phone… I mean those things can be done with both a “friend” and if you were in a “relationship”. But don’t get me wrong, relationships can be a good thing as well. We all know the material things are nice, but to me they weren’t everything. In relationships, personally, I learned things that were new, but I also enhanced a few things, such as my ability to trust others. All relationships have misunderstandings and problems. However, it's through the problems that you learn to work through the issues, and work on trust a little bit more. So backwards, but it's the truth. Relationships can be a distraction from your own life, which has both pros and cons. Pros, it can help you lift stress and get your mind off of your problems. Cons, sometimes we forget that this is reality, and problems can’t really be “erased”. Cons, sometimes you can focus on someone else’s happiness, and neglect yourself. Relationships are great, but there must be a balance.
3. Friends are bound to change.
I was once told, that “If you aren’t losing friends/circle getting smaller, you’re not growing up.” In a way I believe that, but in a I don’t. Friendships require work. You get in an argument with your friend, they don’t want to work to fix it, you have two options. Follow the quote, say forget it, and make more friends, or put in work, COMMUNICATE, and work to fix the problem. Me, as a freshman in high school, I would’ve followed the quote, said forget it, and made more friends. Notice I said as a “freshman in high school”. Sometimes, you have to put your pride aside to actually get the things you want. I’m not encouraging you to look like a fool and just let people walk over you, but think about what you really want. If you value the friendship more than the argument, then nothing is wrong with being the bigger person and taking the first step. However, sometimes people are only in your life for a reason or a season. Lifetime friends come, yes, but evaluating friendships is very important. Friends will either help you stay on the right track or distract you and cause you to end up like them, or off of your track. Everyone doesn’t have to be in college or very successful, but be mindful. It's hard to get someone to follow your footsteps, but it is easier than you think to become distracted and end up away from your goal. Just be mindful of the company you keep, and accept the fact that friends can be temporary or lifelong.
4. Grades matter your Freshman year.
Freshman year is obviously the easiest year of High School. It’s when you will take your easiest math class, science, etc. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the next level and take the easiness for granted. Study for test, go to your teachers for help. Yes you're in high school, but think about it, this is the only time you will be able to get your hand held for a year. Teachers understand that it is a big step. So, if you didn’t turn that homework in, they give you a couple of days. Missed class? Parental excuse. There are so many opportunities to grow up, that sometimes we take it for granted. I took it for granted. I should have made at least a 3.8 my freshman year, because literally all you have to do is study and focus in class. Although your GPA does not define you and doesn’t define your academic ability, the reality of it is, that's the only academic tool( besides the SAT/ACT), that colleges can use to predict if you will be a good fit, academically at their school. Eventually, the hand is released, and you’re expected to walk on your own. Take advantage of the opportunity and make the best grades you can.
