I recently graduated high school after four long years. I had so many ups and downs, great memories and things I hope to erase from my memory as soon as possible. If there's one thing I wish I would've had, it's advice. Someone validating the things I was thinking. These are some of my thoughts on how to get through some of the best and worst years of your life.
1. Your opinion matters. The opinion of every person around you matters.
It's very easy to pretend that you're always right. Who knows, maybe you are? However, the person sitting next to you probably thinks the same thing about himself. You don't have to agree with every person the same way they do not have to agree with you. Listen and respect others, it goes a long way. Learn to appreciate the thoughts that roam around you.
2. It doesn't matter who you are; someone is not going to like you.
And that's okay. No one said that every person has to fall immediately in love with you. The best thing you can do is give them your biggest smile, and don't take the mean things they say seriously. And sometimes, that's hard. Don't strain yourself trying to please everyone, because you'll lose yourself in the process.
3. You get what you give.
If you're nice to people, people are nice to you. Even if it's just the simple we-aren't-friends-but-I'll-still-compliment-you type of nice, it means something to someone. If someone decides to be rude to you, the best revenge is to not let it bother you. It drives them crazy.
4. You are not defined by your grades.
You are not defined by your GPA. You are not a statistic. You can't be represented by numbers. That's not to say that grades don't matter. You need to do your best and make time to study but accept the fact that occasionally you might not know the answer to a question. You are a human, and humans don't have a perfect memory.
5. You don't have to be everyone's best friend.
You don't have to kiss up to everyone just to make them feel better about themselves. They matter. You matter. But you don't have to be a part of everyone's group. If you don't have a 'group' yet, you will find one. All it takes is time.
6. It's cheesy, and it's the plotline of every teen movie out there, but: You just have to be you.
No one else is going to do it for you, and the sooner you start doing it, the more people will open up to you, and the happier you'll be.
7. Don't worry about little things.
Wear a hoodie. Eat that second cookie. Smile. Again. Because let's face it: most of our time is spent in school. You have to find a way to enjoy it, no matter how pointless or boring or terrible it gets.
8. Remember: it's going to be over before you know it.
If you're having a great time, cherish it. If you're hating every second of it, just know that it doesn't last forever.
Everything most likely seems like a big deal right now, but when it's all over you won't remember most of the things you're worrying about right this second. Take a deep breath, it's all going to work out.
