High School. That word literally sends shivers down my spine.

Think acne, greasy hair, and the constant fear of trying to fit in. Got that picture? Okay good because that was my life. I wouldn't say that my high school experience was horrible or anything, but it definitely wasn't great. Dealing with catty cliques and pushy egotistical jocks allowed me to make better decisions in college about who I wanted to be friends with. High school made me who I am today and would never want to relive because I feel it has already served its purpose. So I guess it's funny to me when I scan my facebook, twitter, and Instagram feeds to see posts about how some of my fellow classmates wish to do high school all over again.

As if one time wasn't enough for them. They wish to be back cheering on the hometown teams on bleachers, sneaking sips of Fourloco hidden inside a backpack beside them. Yeah, that was fun and all but you don't exactly need to be back in high school to do that. I mean that's a typical Saturday night if you play your cards right. I feel like the people who look back on their times in high school are the ones who aren't paying attention to what's right in front of them. Most of my classmates are currently still in college and they act as if their lives are over, rather than just beginning.

They wish to go to football games just like old times, but never watch their college's team play. They want to go on adventures and do cool exciting new things but they never leave the comfort of their dorms and apartments. They want to relive all the memories they've already made because they're too scared of making new ones. Maybe it's rather they're scared that making new memories will start to make the old ones fade, so they clutch on so tightly to what was and not what is.

I would never do high school over again. I'm not someone who desires to go back and fix or change what has already happened. Living life backward can only make the life in front of you uneventful.

It's not just that I wouldn't want to redo high school, it's that I wouldn't want to be stuck in that mindset. Going off to college can be a big help with escaping this but it doesn't stop there. If you go to university with a bunch of friends from high school it can be both helpful and stunting. Having hometown friends can make the college a much smaller place but can also not push you to meet new people. I have plenty of friends who have decided that living in this bubble is all they'll ever do. They date the same people, go to the same places, and relive the same memories.

I'm not at all downplaying how important my high school friends are to me. I still keep in contact with the ones that I want to be in my life, but there are many that I have parted ways with. This may not be the case for everyone, and maybe my experience is completely different from other peoples, but I still stand by it. I would never do high school all over again because it happened exactly how it should have. The mistakes I made and the lessons I learned are the reason I am where I am today. In high school, my life was just starting and I would have hated if who I was destined to be came together at 14 years old. High school - been there, done that. I'm satisfied with the friends I've made but I'm looking forward to all the people I will meet in my life to come. So thank you high school for making me into the confident, outspoken, and strong woman I am today, but thank gosh I'll never have to experience again.