4 years - 720 days - 5, 040 hours - all spent in a single building, with the same people, with similar goals. Yes, I'm talking about high school. Though everyone's high school experience is drastically different, there are aspects in each that line up. There will always be that group of girls who constantly create drama, those teachers who can't seem to give you a break, those nights you feel so misunderstood & alone, and that certain someone you just can't get out of your head. No matter where you live or what school you attend, we all learn the same lessons. No, not y=mx+b or that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, but things you can't learn from a textbook. Here are just a few of them...

1) You don't have to look good everyday - nobody really cares!

I'll admit, every morning from Freshman to Junior year, I'd wake up at 6:00 am, fry my hair with a straightener, apply an obscene amount of eyeliner, slide on the "trendiest" pair of shoes I owned, and head out the door. But who was it all for? I surely wasn't doing it for me. It only took a damaged head of hair and hideous raccoon eyes to realize my foolishness. I was losing sleep & money trying to be someone I wasn't, and as soon as I figured that out, I figured myself out a bit more. You'll drive yourself crazy caring about what others think of you, and truthfully, it's not worth stressing over. Ladies and gents, you're at school to learn, and as Ms. Bubb told me freshman year while I fiddled with my uncooperative ponytail, "this isn't a fashion show".

2) Grades are not everything.

Ultimately, high school is supposed to prepare you for college. Come junior/senior year, this was all I could think about. "Is that B- going to affect my GPA?", "Will staying up an extra hour to study really improve my test grade?", and the oh-so-familiar, "Is it worth it to re-assess on this?" would race through my mind on a daily basis. It was only until after receiving college acceptance letters that I came to my senses. Yes, colleges look into your GPA, but they don't just stop there. Being involved in your school & community also play a significant role in the admission counselor's decision, which leads me to my next point...

3) Get involved within your school!

In middle school, it was very tough for me to make friends at first (boohoo, Belle - join the club). I was so busy with my rigorous ballet training everyday, I had zero time to spend with classmates at football games, dances, or sleepovers. Because of this, I felt very isolated from people my own age and began to separate myself from others. Flash-forward to freshman year, I wanted a clean start at my new school. I joined every club, team, choir, & board available and never looked back! Through these organizations, I met so many amazing individuals who eventually became life-long friends. I know it may seem outside your comfort zone at the beginning, but including yourself in programs within your high school is an easy way to make friends & keep yourself busy.

4) Friends will come and go, & that's okay.

You might've heard the saying, "You will not leave high school with the same friends you started with". Though accurate, this reality is neither good nor bad. People change a lot over the course of four years, but guess what, that's life! High school can be a turbulent time in one's life - [few] kids grow up, feelings fade, and friendships fall out. It's important not to dwell on those who left, but to appreciate the times spent together and the memories that will be made with friends who stick around.

5) Boys are still gross.

Despite what they may say or do, 90% of the male species is still mentally 12 years old. DO NOT feed or pet these animals because cooties are a real thing - there, you've been warned.

6) High school doesn't have to be the "best years of your life", and honestly, it shouldn't.

Congrats, you peaked in high school. All of your fake friends and cool stories of getting trashed at Becky's paid off then, huh? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having the time of your life and making memories with your besties... but at what cost? Think about it: high school is only four years out of your entire life - it really should get better from here lol. There's so much more of the world to see and people to meet, so don't limit yourself to your little hometown.

7) Super cliche, but just be yourself.

Throughout high school, everyone's going to tell you who and what you're supposed to be. You'll feel the need to be the smart kid, the cool kid, the funny kid, the sporty kid, the bad kid, and the nice kid all at the same time... how exhausting? Here's the catch though - you're not supposed to be anything but you. Once you accept that, you'll be unstoppable. This takes years to understand, and even I'm not quite there yet, but it will be worth it in the long run. Find what you're passionate about and roll with it. Whether it's soccer, yo-yoing, drawing, singing, playing chess, or maybe even blogging (😉), making yourself happy is what truly matters.

BONUS:

8) Actually read the books in English class. Sparknotes & Shmoop can only get you so far!

9) Procrastination is a disease - don't let it get ahold of you!

10) Be nice to your parents.

11) Be nice to your teachers.

12) Just be a decent human, okay?

13) Take lots of photos.

14) Try everything you can. You learn a lot about yourself & the world this way.

15) SAVE YOUR MONEY! Spontaneous Starbucks runs really do add up!

16) Go easy on yourself. You're still a kid & you're still allowed to make mistakes!

Once again, thank you all for taking time out of your day to read my silly, little posts. Thank you to all my friends throughout high school who stuck by my side, to my family who always supported me, and a big thank you to those who were rude to me lol - you helped me to understand the kind of person I want to be! I hope you all have a FABULOUS summer, and keep an eye out for a pretty exciting blog post within the next few weeks.

Signing off!

-savedbythebelle