Hey there, how’s it going? You’re probably sitting in class right now on your phone not paying attention to whatever is being taught, or complaining to your classmates about how you just can’t wait to graduate. You could probably care less about what I have to say to you right now, but I’ll say it anyways; Stop trying to grow up so fast. Don’t get me wrong, college is a sweet time. You have the freedom for new adventures, room to make new mistakes, and the chance to have fresh beginnings. But guess what? You’re not there yet. Don't worry, you will be soon, but for now you are where you are, attending seven classes a day, five days a week. But guess what? You can’t speed up time. Take a second to savor the circumstances you're in now. I promise you there are certain things you will miss in just a little less than a year.
I get it, your friends are annoying. Why wouldn't they be? You've been with them 24/7 for the past four years or more. They test your nerves on a daily basis and all you can think about is the new friends you will have to chance to make in college. And soon enough, you will. You’ll go off and meet new people. You'll make new memories. But there will always be times when you're with your new college friends and think “I wish __________ was here for this.” You'll want to reminisce on that one thing you did that one time at that one place and then realize that you can't because none of your college friends were there for it. You’ll miss having your nerves tested because when It comes down to it, those "annoying" friends know you better than anyone else does.
Take advantage of your classes. Take as many AP/Dual classes as you can. The awesome thing is that you have the opportunity to start taking college classes for free. Save your parents some money, and save yourself some time. I promise you it will pay off. Take advantage of your chance to put yourself ahead of the game. When you walk into your freshman year as a classified sophomore or even Junior, you'll appreciate the effort you put it. Even more, savor the relationships you have with your teachers. You have some of the best teachers in the world, who unlike the majority of the college professors you'll ever have, actually care about your well-being. They want you to succeed, and they’ll do anything in their power to help you do so. Believe it or not, your teachers will not always know you by name.
Even though it seems stupid now, Take advantage of the time you actually have to sleep. It may seem like you get no sleep now, but trust me, you'll get less and less of it as you get older. Take naps often, and don't take the ability to catch some winks in a comfortable bed that doesn't feel like cardboard for granted. If I had to choose between accepting $500 or having the chance to bring my bed to college, I would choose my bed. One of these days you'll find yourself purchasing endless quantities of mattress pads in the effort to fix back pain that you shouldn't encounter until you're at least 70.
Take advantage of your ability to eat whatever you want now. You have a fast metabolism so why not? Eat those chicken nuggets. Stack up the carbs. Whatasize your meal. Live it up because sooner or later, you won't have that perfect little body without working for it. You’ll be forced to hit up the gym every day to burn off the countless calories you consumed during your study grind the previous night, and you'll find yourself pounding the treadmill for hours on end fighting the freshman 15 that you always told yourself you were incapable of gaining.
Spend time with your team. Early morning practices suck. There's nothing fun about being at school before the sun has even begun to rise. You tell yourself you would do anything to be back in bed asleep, and you constantly question your decision to join a sport that requires so much time and effort. Don't. In a couple of years from now you'll look back on the memories you made during those early morning practices, and those hot grueling afternoon runs. You'll laugh at the thought of the push ups your coach gave you as punishment. You'll remember fighting over the good showers, and racing to make yourself look as presentable as possible before the first bell. When meets/games came around you gave it your all. You left it all out on the track/field for the love of the game.
So yes. High school drama is petty. The classes can be boring, and the people can be suffocating. You aren't given much freedom, and sneaking off campus can get tiring. But don't rush through it all. Soak it all in, live in the age you are in and take advantage of the circumstances you find yourself in. I promise you'll look back on it one day and wonder why you were in such a rush to leave it all.
