To the High School Years,
So, in a lot people’s books, you high school years have a pretty bad reputation. When people think high school, their minds flash-back to failed first romances, scary haircuts and traumatizing junior prom memories. While I have to admit that my mind jumps to these things too, when I reflect a little deeper I realize that I have a quite a few things to thank my hormone-filled four years of high school for.
Thank you for forcing me to take every subject.
OK, while I wasn't too pleased about having to take pre-calculus, I need to say thank you to my high school years for exposing me to different subject areas. While I don't use my microeconomics, world history and geometry knowledge on a daily basis, I'm so glad that my high school introduced me to the subjects I was passionate about.
Thank you for allowing me to pursue my artistic passions.
So marching band might be one of the extracurriculars I wince while thinking about participating in, but I will never regret my high school allowing me to pursue both my musical and artistic passions. Last year, I took for granted that my art and band rehearsals always seamlessly fit into my schedule.
Thank you for introducing me to great friends.
The friends I made in high school will always a have a special place in my heart -- after all, we survived the hellish parts of high school together! Without my high school years, I never would have bonded with the wonderful, supportive and amazingly quirky people I call my best friends.
Thank you for forcing me to confront the mean girls.
Regardless of ever thinking I'd be glad for my run-ins with mean girls, I have to thank high school for setting the stage for me to experience and embrace the fact that not everyone is looking out for your best interests. While I might've dreaded my classes with the resident mean girl, these scheduled, 45-minutes-a-day interactions forced me to confront my issues and to stand up for myself.
Thank you for assigning me that 10-page paper.
Thank you to my high school years for actually teaching me how to write a 10+ page research paper! I am forever grateful that I was forced to learn how to write a research paper in a low-stress, helpful environment instead of in the craze that is college-level academics.
Thank you for providing teachers with a passion for both
their subject matter and their students.
I need to thank my high school for providing me with teachers who were there not only because they loved what they were teaching, but also because they loved teaching and interacting with their students. While I don't think my college professors in any way dislike their students, the college classroom has a somewhat less-personal atmosphere than the classrooms of high school. I will always appreciate my high school teachers who took the time to push me both academically and personally.
Thank you for making me work hard.
Thank you for assigning long papers, back-to-back tests and painful reading assignments. Without having learned about work ethic in high school, college would be a much scarier place.
With gratitude,
A recent high school graduate.
