Currently, I am enjoying the summer bliss that comes with being a recent high school grad, saying my final farewells to teachers that have helped me along the way, and to classmates I have molded lifelong memories with over the years. Then it's back home to hang up that cap and gown along with the well-deserved diploma. I'm also getting a taste of freedom as I prepare for my first year in college. From watching a small pile of dorm supplies grow into a mountain in my room to preparing to attend summer orientation, it's all really exciting.
The only part of this that isn't my favorite is all the technical parts of transitioning from one to the other. From the very beginning, I found myself stressing over everything. What colleges should I apply to? How much can I afford? Do I have enough money saved up? Is my GPA going to cut it? Then, after the decision process, new questions began to surface, such as: How am I going to get money? What scholarships do I qualify for? How do I apply for them? How do I sign up for classes? What classes do I have to take? (And basically keeping up with due dates was my biggest struggle.) I can't help but believe that if I had done my four years differently, maybe a lot of the obstacles I struggled with or worried about wouldn't have existed in the first place. Who wouldn't want all their problems to disappear? So it got me thinking...
If I could do high school over, I would have definitely taken it more seriously. By that, I mean take full advantage of everything it has to offer and always try my hardest. Corny, I know, but I'm not just saying this — I mean it. Really. Coming from a once lazy (yet social) professional procrastinator of many years, trust me: I have regrets. Perhaps had I spent my time up late studying or getting a head start on homework instead of up late Snapchatting and binge-watching "Gossip Girl" on Netflix, my grades would have been a bit higher. Had I pushed or challenged myself in academics rather than getting a higher score on Flappy Bird, I could have been in APs and not just honors. Maybe if I had been more involved with clubs and sports as my extracurricular activities as opposed to going straight home only to pass out on my couch and waste my time with my eyes closed for hours...Even just simply saving my money rather than spending it on overloads of Starbucks and new clothes from one of the three popular malls of my hometown. Had I done these things differently, maybe I would have gotten more out of High school. I definitely would have reaped the benefits when applying to college.
I think we all (at one point or another) wish we could alter an experience by turning back the clock and giving ourselves a redo. But sadly, life doesn't come with a remote control we can just press to rewind, pause, or fast forward. All we get is the play button, and it's up to us to make the most of our play button — that way, we won't have the desire to press any of the others. So overall, what I've learned is to always make the most of every experience whether that's school, work or your everyday lifestyle. Because eventually, everything pays off and you get out what you put in. Sorry for all the cliches, but this truly is what makes the most sense to me — and I wish I knew what I know now four years ago.
