Many people say that high school is the best four years of your life, but I beg to differ. This short period between adolescence and adulthood is really just a gateway to the next point in your life, whatever that may be. For some reason though, there is an insane amount of pressure placed on high school students to get perfect grades, hang out with the popular crowd, be the captain of a sports team, et cetera. But for what? Does being one of the cool kids mean that you're guaranteed to have tons of friends later in life? Does never getting a B in high school mean that you'll be more successful than all of your classmates? Will that position as captain really matter in the long-run?
The answer to all of these questions is no. High school is supposed to be a microcosm of adulthood, but in reality, it is offers a very skewed image of the real world. It sure does a good job of tricking us though. I myself got sucked into the little bubble of high school for almost all four years. I changed friend groups, boyfriends and activities to try and balance what I enjoyed doing with what was socially acceptable. I never was one to follow the crowd, but I also wanted to fit in with my peers. This is a struggle that most high school students go through, and in all honestly, I find it to be complete crap.
Senior year I had an epiphany. I came to the conclusion that high school is very different than the real world. Never again will you have to worry that receiving a B might deter you from a great future. Never again will the nerds, theater geeks or band kids be mocked for "not being cool". Never again will you be judged so harshly for what you wear and say. Yes, the real world can be cruel. People will go off of first impressions, and you might not always be accepted. But the difference is that after high school, it really doesn't matter. Once you are out in the real world you can be whoever you want to be. We don't need to label ourselves or each other so that we all fit perfectly into these stereotypical boxes. We can be a little quirky or silly and do the things we love to do with the people who accept us.
My advice for anyone in high school right now, whether you're a "nerd" or a "cool kid" is to take a step back and realize that in the long run, none of it matters. Just be yourself and try to find genuine people to spend your time with. Take it from someone who's already graduated, the smartest kid in the class isn't always the most successful and the most popular person isn't always the most well liked long-term. High school is about growing and trying new things. It's about realizing who you are and who you want to be. Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and never be afraid to be yourself. It might be hard to stray from the status quo in high school, but I promise you, it will make you a happier and an overall better person.
