Let me just begin by saying, high school is not the best four years of your life. Whoever told you such a naive statement didn't go to college. And if they did go to college, they didn't go to Clemson University (sorry, I'm biased). This May marks two years since my high school graduation. I still feel the relief of graduating two years later. As you can probably tell, I didn't have the best high school experience. It wasn't horrible, but it definitely was not the best four years of my life thus far. Honestly, I can't see why anyone would think high school has the potential of being the best four years. But, I can't speak for everyone, so I'll speak for myself.
Academically, I felt like I was wasting my time. I am a musically and artistically inclined student, not math and science. Although I graduated with honors, I still felt like my abilities were being held back because people don't value music, art, and literature like they do math and science. Students who excel in math and science are praised, and other students are taught to be like them. But that is another rant for another article. I can tell you right now that I haven't used the Pythagorean theorem since my high school geometry class. Not even once. And I don't plan to. In college, I can study topics of my own interest and excel in what I am passionate about. How could the best four years of my life involve being forced to take classes I have absolutely no interest in?
I regret not letting people see my true self. I was still figuring out who I wanted to be. I was shy and quiet to many, but those who are close to me know I am neither of those things. I can talk to a brick wall about what I had for breakfast this morning. But not many people knew that. I cannot blame anyone but myself for being so reserved when it came to making friends. But I imagine, I'm not the only one who did this. At 16 or 17, you don't know who you are. You can't be expected to know who you at such a young age. Going to college has taught me so much about myself, I am proud of who I am.
Growing up is hard. And mean girls didn't make that any easier. Luckily, I didn't have to deal with it for very long, because I didn't associate myself with people who didn't have my best interest in mind. High schoolers, that is my biggest advice to you: don't bother associating with people who don't have your best interest in mind, because they don't matter, at all. In a year or two, you can laugh in the faces of those who treated you badly.
I don't want anyone to think I hated high school, because I didn't. I have fond memories of people and experiences I had in high school. It was enjoyable for the most part. Although, the best is yet to come. I have never been happier in my life. High school is not the best four years of your life.
