Writing from the perspective of someone who is going into their freshmen year in college, high school can either be the worst or best four years of your life. Along with that, it can be a extremely difficult transition coming from our immature middle schools selves, to being thrown into four years of high school where we are bombarded with a overload of college questions. The whole process can be completely overwhelming, and sometimes you just need is to sit down and take it all in. In the end, it's all about what you make of it, so here are some tips of how to make the best of it.
Take some classes to challenge yourself, even if you won't receive college credit- Part of high school is preparing yourself for college, but that does not always mean by way of college credit. Take classes that challenge yourself academically, so that you are able to take some of those skills to benefit you in college.
Don't be determined to win the race- For some people, high school is a race to popularity, meaning, to wear the cutest clothes, hangout with the most popular kids in school, have a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. But despite all of their hard work, it all of that goes down the drain when they are given their diploma. In life, nobody cares how popular you were in high school, so don't be so stubborn in winning the race.
Don't be too worried about not having a girlfriend/boyfriend- I know it can be difficult to not get it stuck in the mindset that, if you're single in high school than you're bound to be single for the rest of your life, but it's absolutely not true. There is still a lot of good people out there who are waiting, so don't feel like you have to rush into a relationship.
Build friendships with your teachers- I know it can be easy not like our teachers, simply because they have power over our academic success. But being friends with teachers also has its perks, for example, extra homework help, an possible edge over your peers, even advice on what classes to take or the college process. Along with that, at the end of the day it's also be comforting to have someone to talk to when you're having a rough day or week.
High school drama does not matter- I know it may seem like a big deal at the time who kissed who, who's dating who, who got in a fight, etc, but I promise you nobody cares about any of it after high school. So don't get yourself too wrapped up in it all, it's not worth it.
Most friendships don't last- I know this may be hard to hear, but once summer comes and everyone begins to think about college, most friendships are lost. Now listen, I'm not saying that you will never talk to those people ever again. But you will quickly find out who was a true friend and who was a fake friend.
Get a summer job- I know for some of you, joining the workforce is completely out of your radar. Especially as freshmen and sophomores it can be difficult to find a place that will hire you. But trust me, as someone who didn't get a official job until the summer after her senior year, you'll want one. It'll make the summer before your freshmen year in college less stressful and more peaceful. Along with that, it'll help you get out in the real world by developing people skills, time management, etc.
Get involved- I understand that, for some of us, getting involved seems like way too much work. Not only would you have to be social, (WHAT?!,) but it also involves getting off your phone and off the couch and actually doing something. But trust me, you'll help create a better high school experience for yourself by meeting new people and making memories.
