When you are in high school, you have the ability to meet people of all ages. Becoming close to someone that's older than you can you teach you so many things. I am fortunate enough to have a group of friends that are older than me that teach me so many important life lessons. Here are five lessons that some of my best friends have taught me.
1. It's OK to be yourself.
Being yourself means not being embarrassed about your interests, wearing what you want and showing the entire world that you refuse to change. Before anyone else can accept your crazy, you have to accept that about yourself. If you change who you are to please anyone, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.
2. Be the best at what you love.
Everyone has a talent. Once you completely fall in love with something, it tends to be the only thing you think about. You enjoy doing it so much that it becomes your focus. You channel expression through these talents and hobbies, things that you want to be the best at simply because you want to make sure that everyone else finds this experience as amazing as you do.
3. Ask for forgiveness, not permission.
You should never spend hours, days, weeks, months or even years contemplating over something that you wish you would have done. You only have one chance to do everything and accomplish everything you want, so it's better to do it without regrets. Don't just sit there and wonder "what if" for the rest of your life, or at least your high school career. Start that club you have been thinking about, talk to that boy who sits across from you, go to that midnight movie premiere you have been waiting for. You won't be young forever.
4. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
There is nothing wrong with being optimistic and trying to see the best in every situation. That being said, you should also always have a backup plan. If things don't go the way you planned, it's incredibly unreasonable to fly off the handle. You have to calmly assess the situation at hand and think of alternative solutions. Life always has the ability to knock you down, but the only thing that matters is what you do to get back up.
5. Everything happens for a reason.
Don't freak out about anything that is completely out of your control. In the end, everything will be okay. Worrying and stressing about little things will get you nowhere. In a few years, everything you've done and every decision that you have made in the past will lead up to where you are. Mistakes are just ways to push you in the right direction towards the success and happiness that you deserve. This, by far, is one of the most important lesson you could ever receive from anyone.
Everyone you meet will have an impact on you, good or bad. I am unbelievably grateful for all of the amazing friends I have that took the time to teach me these lessons. Everyone has the opportunity to change someone for the better, and they have never ceased to make me a better person with every conversation, sleepover, party, dance, dinner, or anything else. You should always take the time to listen to everyone around you. You never know what you might learn.
