I think we've all heard that your four years of high school are supposed to be the best four years of your life. I'm just about to graduate high school, so I don't have a ton of life experience"to go off of, but I certainly believe these were not the best four years of my life. Sure this time was filled with lots of learning experiences and unique opportunities, but I believe there is so much more that is going to come in my life. While high school may not have been the best four years of my life, it certainly taught me a lot.

Five real friends are better than 25 fake ones.

Coming into high school, all anyone really sees it as is a big popularity contest. Who is the most liked and who has the most friends. Who gets along with everyone the best. I will admit its nice to have friends to go and hang out with in school and what not, but do you really want 25 different people knowing your biggest secrets? Do you want them all involved in every aspect of your life? How do you know who your real friends are? And don't tell me that all of them are because they're not. It's uncommon, especially in high school for people to find one person to truly trust, let alone 25 others. It doesn't matter if you have the most friends or the most Instagram followers. What matters is that you have people you can truly trust and truly enjoy yourself with. The people you can be yourself around and no one but yourself.

Fitting in is overrated.

Why fit in when you were born to stand out? Honestly, why? We are each so incredibly unique, why try to be someone you're not. We all have our quirks, flaws, and habits. They may not be normal to everyone, but they are what makes us who we are. Why would you want to buy the same $70 pair of Converse that every other girl has, when you could buy those super cute boots that are on sale. Why go to that party and forget everything you did that night, when you could enjoy a quiet night around the fire with your best friends. You only get four years of high school, do what will make you happy and nothing else.

Don't be afraid to fall in love.

High school is full of people. It's full of people you'll find yourself crushing over, and it's full of people you''ll find yourself falling head over heels for. Whatever it is, make sure you enjoy it. Embrace the experience. Don't be afraid of getting hurt. Whatever happens will happen and in the end, it will only teach you more about yourself.

Let loose.

Do something you wouldn't normally do. If you normally spend all your time studying and doing work, take a break from it. Try something new. Go out and go on an adventure. Go cliff jumping or off roading. Go hiking or bike riding. Try something out of your "normal routine." Make these four years something you'll remember.

Love yourself above anything else.

Before anything else, love yourself. Embrace your flaws. Don't worry about what other people think of you. Don't wait for your peers acceptance. Accept yourself for who you are and everything else will follow. It's impossible to please everyone, so do what will make you happy. Wear that red lipstick, buy those new shoes. Be you and be okay with it.

Don't be afraid of the future.

The future is coming. Change is inevitable. Don't push it away. Accept the fact that things are not going to be this way forever. Odds are you won't marry the person you're dating right now. The grades you got on that test, won't affect your entire life. Everything that happens to you in high school, is only leading you to bigger and better things for your future. Every person you meet will teach you a lesson. Every experience you have will change you whether you know it or not. Don't push these things away. Embrace them, and enjoy the ride that life has to offer you.