Let's face it, for the most part everyone regrets some if not all of high school. I know personally I pretend Freshman and even parts of Sophomore year didn't happen. But apart from the embarrassing phases I went through, I regret not doing more in high school because high school was the place to make mistakes and try new things without worrying about failing or wasting money. In college, everything's a lot more planned out and you don't have that option to be sporadic or take some bullsh*t class just because it looks interesting.
Joining more clubs and activity boards
My four years of high school were dedicated to my school's theater program and although I met so many different people and had so many wonderful experiences, I could have done more. One of the many organizations at my school was yearbook and I wish more than anything that I had gotten involved somehow; whether it had been taking pictures or even just editing here and there. Now in college I'm trying really hard to get more involved, but it's not as easy. Although there are plenty of organizations to choose from, they require lots of time commitment. To any incoming freshman, my advice would be getting as much leadership experience as you can because a majority of the organizations in college that everyone wants (RA, Campus Activities Board, etc) require lengthy interview processes which go in depth as to your qualifications and what type of person you are. With more experience under your belt, you'll be ahead of everyone else.
Dual enrollment
Back when I went to high school (cue music) dual enrollment was free to any junior or senior who met the qualifications, they even bussed you over. Back then it seemed like being such an over-achiever move and was a little intimidating. Looking back now, I should have taken advantage of this awesome opportunity. Not only would I have saved time and money, but I would have had some semblance of what to expect in college and had at least a semester to hone in on which study habits worked for me and which ones did not. If you didn't already know, studying in high school and studying in college are two vastly different things. There's a reason the library is packed for midterms and finals week and why coffee is a staple on any campus. Studying the day before or even the morning of simply won't cut it, but you figure this out pretty quickly.
Hanging out with friends more
Now live almost two hours away from my high school friends. Sure, we keep up with each other on Facebook and Snapchat, but it's just not the same. I miss not seeing them every day and talking about what's happening in our circle of friends. So if you plan on moving away to college, make sure to hang on to your friends as much as possible. Make the effort to drive to their house just to hang or go on late night food runs. Savor the time you have with them now.
To any high school students out there, I hope his helps improve your experience, but also get excited for what's to come. My last regret in high school was not knowing if I wanted to get involved in college. There are so many amazing, life changing experiences out there for you and I hope you start looking into all of them before even setting foot on campus. Because in college, you shouldn't wait for the "right time" since there is no "right time", you can only make time. So make time to join a club that really resonates with you or an organization near and dear to your heart. Remember that high school and college are only four short years and will go by in the blink of an eye.
