When I was 8 years old I had it all figured out. I was going to graduate high school and already be a famous pop star and have my own fashion line and be on magazine covers and do interviews all over the world. Well, I sort of didn't exactly do that. I graduated high school, yes. Not exactly a pop star unless you count the encores I do while singing the same five hit songs in the shower each night. My fashion line consists of oversized hoodies and sweat pants with that same old blue nail polish stain on the pant leg. The only magazine covers I'm on are the ones I'm using to prop up my wobbly chair. And the only interview I've had so far was for a position as a hostess at a restaurant. Hopefully, eight year old me doesn't know the difference, because eighteen year old me does and it bites and I blame my four terrible years at high school.
It was four years wasted on friends I don't even speak to anymore, homework assignments I learned nothing from, state exams which ruined my learning experience, teachers who doubted me, extracurricular activities which brought out the worst in people, parties I wasn't invited to, days where my self esteem was destroyed and graduation day, when after 4 terrible years, I crossed the stage with my head hung low and heard barely any applause in the audience other than the cheers coming from my parents who watched me deteriorate for four years.
High school stole my motivation and drive for success. I didn't wake up in the morning with my goals and dreams on my mind. Rather I woke up with a headache from the drama of the day before that I was dragged into and the AP homework assignments that I was doing until 3 am and didn't even get to finish. My passion for life was just gone. I didn't care about anything anymore. I started gaining weight. I got lazy. I was always tired. And nobody ever noticed. Because nobody ever cared. Every day was another "just gotta get through a few more classes" type of day so that I could just rush home and curl up under my covers.
I wanted to be a dancer. I wanted to be a singer. I wanted to perform. I wanted to do art. I wanted to be a creator. I went to a high school where I was told I could do all of those things. I was not told however that I would end up hating it all after doing it all. I was not told that there will always be people over my head who think they're better than me. I was not told that every move I make will be criticized by that one girl who thinks she's all that. I was not told that high school would be the place where everything I knew and loved about myself would be shattered.
My biggest advice for you high schoolers out there, if you love something, don't go to your high school to do it. If you want to dance, find a dance school. If you want to write, start a blog. If you want to direct, make youtube videos. If you want to be a doctor, get internships at offices.
Contrary to popular belief, high school isn't the four glory years. You won't make the best memories of your life there. You won't "find" yourself. You already know who you are when you go to high school. You can most likely lose yourself. You will find yourself reflecting back on your freshman year on your graduation day and regretting a million things. That's what high school is all about.
So I'm going to teach you all the biggest lesson you will ever need to know in high school.
Do not lose sight of the big picture trying to squint to see the board from the back of the class because that's where your best friend wanted to sit.
