Going into my freshman year of high school, I had no idea what to expect. Equipped with nothing but a few wise words bestowed upon me by my parents, family, and friends to help ease me into this new world, the idea of high school seemed terrifying. As if the concepts of taking classes with upperclassmen, "cuts" for varsity sports teams, and college applications weren't overwhelming enough, throw in making new friends and trying to find a spot at the lunch table and it's game over. Luckily, my fears proved to be unnecessary, as I was blessed enough to have a great freshman experience, as well as overall high school career. Despite my luck, I've always wished I had an older sibling who could have told me the ins-and-outs of freshman life. With that said, this letter is dedicated to my little brother, Aristotle, who will be going into his freshman year this upcoming September. Good luck, Stotle.
Dear Brother…
Enjoy this. Please. Whatever you do, enjoy your time in high school. Do the things that scare you. Do the things you love. Meet new people. Take cool classes. Force yourself to study hard for all of them--including that one math class you and all of your friends dread. Go out for the flag football team. Try out for baseball. Take a drawing class or maybe get a little crazy with some ceramics if you’re feeling adventurous. Sit at the lunch table with someone you don’t know. Tell that girl in your chemistry class she’s cute. Be kind to your friends. Be kind to yourself. Become best friends with your teachers (as dorky as that sounds, you'll thank me later). Ask for help--don’t force the answer to your problem. Be independent, but be co-dependent. Don’t be too much of a pain for Mom and Dad. When an upperclassman tells you not to take art history with Professor Smith, listen--they’ve been through the best and the worst classes, trust them. Be a good freshman. Treat your freshmen well because you've been in their shoes. Remember, you'll be back on the bottom of the totem pole as soon as you get to college, so take advantage of the life of an upperclassman. Join a club or three. Go out of your way to make friends and come out of your shell. Know that everyone feels just as lost and awkward as you do--it gets better, I promise. Befriend your upperclassmen. Be wary of sketchy cafeteria food. Bring your own lunch and just save yourself the possibility of food poisoning. Don’t worry about college and applications UNTIL junior year. Take in every single minute of being a freshman and worry about the hard stuff later. Do your homework. Be in the present. Look forward to senior year, but cherish your days as “fresh meat.” Go to Prom no matter how lame it may be. Don’t give in to peer pressure. Be smart at parties. Offer to be the Designated Driver sometimes, your friends will shower you with love and favors later (and you'll know they trust you with their safety). Say no to drugs. Make Macklemore's song "Growing Up" your mantra. Read The Alchemist. Don’t bully other people. Embrace everyone’s differences and individuality. Trust me when I say college is 10 times more fun than high school. Take some "Aristotle" time every now and then. It's okay to be alone. Make your graduating class a family; you won’t regret it. Do what makes you nervous. Play it smart, but don’t play it safe.
Needless to say, seize every moment…
Love,
Your Big Sister.
