High school can either be the best of times or the worst of times. Ever wonder how to escape being the stereotypical, apathetic teenager who complains, "Ugh, I hate high school"? Here's how:
1. Join clubs.
I remember being a scared, little freshman and feeling like my being on campus was an intrusion into the "big kids" territory. I remember being unenthusiastic as I feebly cheered for my new school's mascot and then chose never to attend another school event. I remember wanting to give up on this whole new, big public high school "adventure" and go back to my old, small private school because I felt like I didn't belong in this strange new place. Thus, my freshman year experience was less than superior, making me feel like the remaining three years were going to be anything but enjoyable (especially since I had disappointingly figured out that real high school was nothing like High School Musical, sigh).
However, as freshman year ended and sophomore year approached, I told myself that I needed to get out of this slump and do something with my life. So, I, on the recommendation of my English I Honors teacher, spontaneously joined yearbook (I didn't even tell my best friend), and, let me tell you, my whole paradigm about high school changed.
Suddenly, I had a reason to be excited for school in the morning. Suddenly, I had many new friends with similar interests. Suddenly, I felt like my talents were valued. Suddenly, I realized I had something to offer my school, and I had some newfound school spirit too.
Joining yearbook has lead me down an amazing path that has lead me to gain much-needed confidence, valuable leadership skills, irreplaceable friends, and, most importantly, to gain a sense of my true passion: journalism. If I hadn't told my little freshman self that "I should join a club, I guess," I never would have experienced a unique high school niche that not only encouraged me to build upon my existing interests, but also encouraged me to become a stronger leader (I even became Editor-in-Chief my second year in yearbook!).
Whether it be yearbook, JV soccer, or Anime Club, joining a club will make you grow as a person, make friends, and help you develop a better-defined concept of yourself. There are no clubs that interest you? Start a club! What's important is finding something in high school that you can relate to, something that you genuinely care about, because high school is all about starting to figure out how you really identify yourself. Ultimately, clubs allow you to be a part of your school instead of your school being a drag part of your life. By joining a club, you decide not to be just one of the thousands of faces that pass through the halls, but instead to be the one that reshapes the halls and leaves his or her mark on the school forever.
2. Work smarter, not harder.
My current life motto is, "Work hard now so that your future self will thank you." For example, put on sunscreen now so you don't have a scorching sunburn later.
School-wise, this idea can be translated into, "Don't screw up freshman year."
Too often have I perused the threads on College Confidential and read, "Help! I make all A's now, but I really messed up freshman year. What do I do? Can I still go to Harvard?"
Even if at the moment you're not ivy-bound (as few of us are) or maybe not even college-bound, doing well in high school is vital to doing well later. That said, do not take freshman year as a joke. Keep in mind that freshman year is the easiest year you will have throughout high school. As you move up each year, classes only get harder, and taking things as a joke no longer works.
Now, not everyone can, or should, take a full honors/AP/IB/Dual-Enrolled/death sentence class load, and that's fine. We are not all made the same, and, therefore, we all have different capabilities. It's important to take the classes you feel you can thrive in, not die in. Don't take AP biology if you are terrible at science and not interested in the subject but you think the class will "look good" for colleges. Someone who is in a regular marine science class is not a lesser person than the student who takes AP biology, especially if the student in marine science is holding an A because he or she really likes marine science in comparison to the AP biology student's C .
Do now what you think will benefit you in the future. Not sure if you want to go to college? Keep your grades up just in case you change your mind. Think you want to be an engineer? If your school offers it, take some engineering classes, or take some extra science and math classes. If you discover engineering is not your thing, better to do so in high school than after paying for college courses. You think you may want to apply to some competitive colleges in the future? Take a rigorous class load throughout high school, not just junior and senior year. Most importantly, no matter who you are, don't take the easy way out, but don't make things so difficult that you spiral into a pit you don't know how to climb out of.
Ultimately, you are the director of your life. You can go only as far, or not go as far, as you permit yourself to go.
3. Show others that you care.
Lastly, and most importantly, take time to develop genuine relationships with peers and teachers in high school. Raise your hand in class. Take part in group discussions. Ask questions, lots of questions. Go above and beyond in your classwork and in your efforts to help others with their work. Be a friend to those that need one. Don't look down upon others. Smile at that person whose name you don't know but see in the halls every day as you go to fifth period.
In the end, you may never know who you'll impact. You have the potential to turn someone's bad day into a good one. You have the ability to show your hard-working teacher appreciation by working hard on a project for that teacher's class.
To have such a mannerism and develop sincere relationships, however, your heart has to be in the right place; don’t expect praise for your good attitude. By going in humbly people will look highly upon you, and the best part is you won't even know it. That is the goal: don't care what others think of you, but know you're making a positive impact on others' lives.
As I finish my junior year of high school, I'm grateful that I have (mostly) followed my own advice. I truthfully feel that by doing so, I have created a more positive high school experience for me and a better atmosphere around me. As I enter my senior year and get ready for college, a main goal of mine is for this trend to continue.
High school is really is what you make it, no matter what others say. You make the call.
