Wow, welcome to high school!

You’ve just entered the pinnacle of your best 4 years of growing in life (in my opinion). However, high school is going to go fast, and there are some things I want to tell you.

Soak in all you can.

Seriously though, high school goes faster than you expect. Before you know it, you’ll be getting your diploma and graduating. Soak in every little thing you can, and take chances before you no longer have time. Get involved in as many things as you can handle, without getting stressed about them. Making friends is important in creating lifelong relationships. Take in that time you have before life sucks, and gets real.

Thank your teachers.

Yes, even the terrible ones. No matter how good or terrible you thought your teacher was, they can always teach you something. Even if it is one thing, you will walk away from their class with something -- useful or not. So thank them often. Most of the time, they don’t want to be there anymore than you do, but they do really want to see you succeed.

Keep up on homework.

You’ve probably heard this a lot from teachers, but from a student, stay on top of your homework. I promise, it will pay off, and there will be an awesome result -- a good GPA. The last thing you want to regret when you become a senior is a low GPA, knowing you could have tried just a tad harder freshman and sophomore year. I know that it can sometimes become tedious and annoying, but it has a huge impact on your test grades, as well as overall knowledge in the class.

Manage your time wisely.

You are the only person that knows how long it takes you to do things. So, manage your time well and know your limits. Don’t stress yourself out by keeping a super busy schedule. Set priorities. School should always be the most important thing at this point in your life. Well, unless you're like an Olympic training athlete... School should still be at the top. I totally understand that sometimes you simply can’t sit for three hours and do homework, so take a break, but keep track of how long it is. Know your stopping point. Again, you know yourself better than anyone.

Have fun.

Honestly, high school will suck at times, and it will be totally awesome at others. Have fun and experience it fully. Go to Friday night football games and Homecoming. If that’s not your thing, find a group of people and go to the school play, or maybe even just head to a local shop with friends. Make high school the best atmosphere you can for yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself or others. We’re all the same in some ways -- just teenagers trying to find their way in the world.

There is something else I must add: upperclassman really are just sick of high school, and are ready to leave (especially seniors), so give them a little slack. They’ve already experienced all that you will begin to. If you happen to become friends with a junior or senior, sit back and learn some things. They have a lot to say that could seriously be useful to you.

Well, I wish you all the luck on this new and exciting journey. Remember, it goes faster than you expect, so take chances, have fun, and be you.