I did a lot of things wrong in high school. There’s a lot I would change if I could turn back time. But I can’t. I just have to accept them for what they were. And sometimes that’s a really difficult thing to live with — knowing I spent years focusing on all the wrong things and spending valuable time with the wrong people. I remember those annoying adults always telling me, “You’re going to miss this one day.” I laughed at them. I remember thinking, "How could I miss this?" Looking back now, I don’t miss it, but that’s because I did high school all wrong. It’s been almost five years since I graduated. I should miss high school. I should be reminiscing on the friendships, the memories and the accomplishments. So do me a favor, upcoming high school senior, don’t be like me. I promise you will want those annoying adults to be right. You’ll want to look back on these years -- especially this last year -- and miss them, at least to some extent. As you begin the best year of your life, keep a few things in mind.

Don’t let your grades slip.

Senioritis is a real thing. I get it. You’ve already been accepted into college. You’re totally checked out. All you need to do is make it to graduation and you’re set. But do your best to keep your grades up. There’s nothing worse than not reaching your full potential. I had a 4.0 GPA my entire high school career until senior year. To this day, I still hate having to say I didn’t graduate top of my class all because I slacked off my final semester.

Speaking of college, choose the right one.

I committed to the first college that approached me. All I needed to know was that they had my intended program and that they were far enough away from home for me to live on campus and I was in. I didn’t take the time to explore my options. Because of that, I am $19,000 in debt from the one year I spent at that private university (and that was with several scholarships and grants). So take the time to research your options. Go on campus tours. Get people’s insight. Really find the one that suits you before committing to anything. And speaking of scholarships, please -- for the love of God -- apply for them. There are so many out there. Put forth the time and effort to apply for them. It’s worth it.

Take your time and focus on the ‘now.’

We live in a world that’s always in a rush. We’re always looking towards to the future and trying to make it there as quickly as possible. I know, college sounds great. Living on your own sounds great. New people and new experiences sound great. But it will all be here before you know it. Your senior year will be over in a blink of an eye. So enjoy every single minute of it (yes, even the moment your alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m.).

Care what people think about you.

Yeah, I know. Your whole life you’ve been told that it doesn’t matter what people think about you. But hear me out. I got into some trouble my senior year and my principal said something to me that really got to me. “You will leave behind a legacy at this school, is this really what you want people to remember you by?” Who you are matters. How you treat people matters. I’m not saying be someone you’re not. Please don’t do that. I’m simply saying to be kind. Be genuine. Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s not cool to be hated or feared. It’s not cool to start drama or feed into it. I promise ‘class drama queen’ is not the award you want to win at mock elections.

Don’t get hung up on a relationship.

I hate to be the one to shatter your fairytale, but your high school relationship probably won’t be your ‘happily ever after.’ So don’t treat it like it is. You’re young. You have a whole life ahead of you to find the person you’re supposed to end up with. Don’t worry about all of that right now. There are so many other things to make a priority. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy your freedom. Don’t let some dude take your senior year away from you. Prom is way more fun with a group of friends anyway.

Get involved.

Attend every dance. Go to every football game. Heck, attend every sporting event you can. Dress up for spirit week. Prank the freshmen. Participate in the talent show. Play in the powder-puff game. Try out for a team you’ve never been part of. Join a club. Do it all. I promise you, you will not regret any of it.

Don’t take it too seriously.

Yes, keep your grades up, but don’t kill yourself over it. As long as you try your best, that’s all that matters. Be proud of that. Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself. Laugh about it. You’ll probably never see most of these people again anyway.

Drinking isn’t that fun.

Trust me. There’s nothing fun about choking down beverages that taste awful and make your throat burn. And although I said, "Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself," you don’t want to do so with the help of alcohol. That might just be something you can’t come back from. Or worse, something that ends up on the Internet. And you really don’t want to suffer through hangovers that keep you bed ridden for an entire day. So as cool as that fruity drink looks on the TV, it’s not. Don’t drink it. No wild night is worth an MIP -- 21 will come soon enough.

Enjoy your family.

I know. They are so annoying. You can’t wait to be on your own, finally free of their rules and expectations. But I promise, you will miss them more than you ever thought possible. You will miss your mom’s home cooked meals when you eat ramen noodles for the fourth time in a week. You will miss your dad’s horrible jokes when you’re overwhelmed with schoolwork and just need a good laugh. You will miss fighting with your siblings when you’re alone in your dorm room. You will miss the feeling of just being ‘home.’ Nothing can replace that. Nothing will ever replace that. So enjoy it while you can.

So, upcoming high school senior, I hope you take some of my advice. I hope you learn from my mistakes. I hope this year is the best year of your life: a year that you can look back on and smile and have no regrets.