High school is an interesting time. It’s glorified in movies (High School Musical), it’s dramatized in T.V. shows (One Tree Hill), and it's definitely different than you imagined. I remember the last day of 8th grade, when everyone said things like, “I can’t wait until high school!” and “High school will be so awesome”, which may be the right way of thinking, however, we had no idea what we were in for. Middle school is in every way worse than high school, but high school is in its own different ball game. Middle school is an apple and high school is an orange. You can’t compare them.
Everyone is a different person in high school. It’s like the summer between 8th and 9th grade is a magical period of transformation when braces are removed, makeup is discovered, and heights are increased. You show up and you don’t recognize anyone. Who knew straighteners and face wash could change someone so much? My high school experience was a little different than most since I went to a k-12, but high school was still a drastic change. Teachers were stricter, due dates weren’t just suggestions, and you had to make new friends. High school was a long four years. Those four years were full of experiences and firsts that I’ll never forget, and I learned more than biology and English and history. I learned about friendships, relationships, and myself.
I learned about how to make friends, what to say to people and what NOT to say to people. My first ever high school best friend and I ended up fighting a lot and not being friends later in high school, even though we thought we’d be best friends forever. I learned that people change and sometimes you have to let people go when they’re hurting you, even though you really care about them. I learned not to talk bad about people. So many times in high school I got caught talking about someone who I shouldn’t have, or sharing a secret that I shouldn't have shared. I’m still working on it, but high school definitely made me learn the hard way that sometimes you should just stay quiet.
I learned to build relationships with people, to love people, to care for people. In high school, others make it look like not caring is cool, but caring is actually way cooler. During my four years, I made some friends that I’m sure will be a support system for me for a really long time. Being kind to people is important. I know some people from school that have died already. Even though I was never mean to them, it makes me wish I would’ve tried to make their time here even better than it was. I know some people from high school that had some severe challenges that I knew nothing about. It makes me wish I would’ve been kinder to others. From high school, I learned to treat everyone kindly. Many people have something hard in their lives that you may not realize just from looking at them.
In high school, people act like you have to belong to a group, and the social goal is to be friends with others who are popular or cool. I learned that you should hang out with who makes you happy and comfortable. My freshman year, I hung out with people that didn’t make me feel good about myself, but later on, I made some incredible friendships that uplifted me and strengthened me. I learned not to base who you are friends with off of who is the ‘coolest’ or is the prettiest. Surround yourself with people you want to be around.
Involvement is something that made my high school experience so amazing. Join clubs, volunteer, help out-these are the experiences you will remember and it will make you appreciate those who work to make your school better. Some of my best high school memories are from doing things outside of the classroom with friends I made inside of the classroom. Do things that interest you, even though they may not interest others. You’ll loathe high school and feel angry about your experience there if you don’t try to make the best of it by being involved in fun things. Don’t be afraid to like the things that you like.
Make good grades. Study. I didn’t realize this for some reason freshman year, but I’ll let you in on the scoop- good grades are how you get into college. I know right? Crazy. There are so many extra prizes and experiences I got because of my grades in high school- extra field trips, involvement in National Honor Society, and treats every quarter. Being in advanced classes let me make really close friendships with everyone in my classes and create better relationships with my teachers. Impress you teachers, but mostly get good grades for yourself and for your future. If you go to college, your academic transition will be much smoother if you are already used to studying and taking notes and paying attention. Work for your grades, it’ll pay off!
High school can be a really hard time for some or a really fun time for others. It’s a period of self-discovery and trial and error, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but do try to make decisions you won’t regret. Make the most of high school! Who wants to look back and realize they could’ve done so much with all the freedom of time and money they had? High school was a time for me where I learned so much, through good times and bad, and it helped me shape into who I am today.
