Going into high school, I was a completely different person than I am today. I wasn't as outgoing. I was more of a follower than my own person. I wasn't confident.

I thought I wanted to be a professional actor or singer. Long story short, I wasn't so sure of what I wanted to be or do with my life. I mean, who really knows what they want out of life at that point anyway?

Throughout those four years of high school, I learned a lot about myself and others. I learned what I want to do with my life. I learned what makes me happy. I made some lifelong friends and learned what real friends are. I made mistakes and learned lessons from them.

Going into high school (eighth grade and freshman year), I made friends that, at the time, I thought were friends I'd keep forever. I thought those were true friends and, to be honest, I took a lot of shit.

At the beginning of high school, I didn't know how to stand up for myself and what I believe in. I would let people walk all over me. Now, coming out of those four years, I learned how to stand up for myself. I now know who my real friends are, and I know how to be a better friend.

High school taught me how to be more confident. I know I'm not the most confident person, but I am a lot more confident than I was before high school. I learned a lot about self-love, and I learned that there are people out there who actually care about me.

The people who care about me have made such a great impact on my life in terms of loving and finding myself. They go out and adventure with me. They try new things with me. They push me to live my best life and, because of them, I am living my life to the fullest.

These four years have honestly changed me for the best. I'm more confident. I'm a better writer. I have the best friends I could ever have. I have no regrets.

I adventure more and have more new experiences. I'm my own person, and I know who I am and what my morals are. I know a lot more about myself and what I can handle.

High school wasn't "the best four years of my life", but I sure did learn a lot about myself and others.