Dos and Don'ts of High School
Coming into a new school as a freshman, where you will spend the next four years, can be intimidating. However, high school could be the best years of your life, and it is important to approach high school with the right mindset. As a graduating senior, here are a few things I have learned over the last four years of high school.
DO find your people
For me, I had good friendships but I never really found my people until my senior year. High school will be filled with drama, on-and-off friendships, and new people, but finding your group of people is SO important. Going through high school, you will need the right people to be by your side as you are all going through changes and figuring out high school together. One of the most important things I have learned in high school is that having a smaller group of friends is essential. It is hard to trust people in high school, so having a small group of people you can trust and go to for anything is so important.
DO make memories
High school is the prime time to make the most out of your [potential] final years in your hometown. Getting involved is so important because that is how you meet new people and get active in the school environment. You only live through high school once, so go out with your friends, go to the school dance, and make new friends. Something I have learned through high school is that everything will work out, so go make the most out of your years before responsibilities. These are the days you will remember and the memories you will tell your kids someday. Not to mention, these are still four years of YOUR life, don’t dismiss them or wish them away!
DO stay on top of it
Along with making memories, staying on top of school/commitments is also important. Overall, everything you do for school, every grade you get, adds up to your ending GPA senior year. It is important not to slack off, even though it is tempting, working hard will be worth it in the end. Your decisions in high school can impact the rest of your life; choose wisely. On a smaller scale, some advice I would give in reference to being in class would be to use the time given to you wisely to avoid stress in the future, as well as limit procrastination. I am a huge procrastinator and have learned that doing so only sets me up to fail. Even though you may not want to put in the work now, you will thank yourself later.
DON'T be mean
There are going to be MEAN people in high school and there is going to be drama. Everyone faces it, and treating everyone with kindness is the best way to deal with it. I know it may be hard to treat a rude person with respect after they may not have given you the same respect, but it will most likely end up for the better anyway. Everyone is going through something that we don’t know about, so treating people with kindness is so important because you never know how a kind word to someone will make them feel. Even if you aren’t in a good mood either, being nice to others will most likely make you and others around you feel better. Having a positive attitude in a school environment will make people feel comfortable around you and could result in you helping someone without even knowing it.
DON'T hold on to little things
This is something that I have struggled with all throughout high school. A lot of high schoolers struggle with stress and anxiety and tend to hold on to the little things that bother them. One thing that I have always had to tell myself is that everything works out in the end, and everything happens for a reason. It might sound silly, but those two phrases helped me overcome challenges throughout high school. It is important to remember that your grades don't define who you are, and there will be times when you cannot do things to the best of your ability or on time, and that is okay. The world will not end over a bad grade, drama at school, not turning in an assignment, etc. It is important to remember that it is all going to be okay and to prioritize your mental health.
DON'T be someone you aren’t
This is SO important. Many people in high school try to be someone they aren’t to fit into a certain group of people or to impress others. This is never something you want to do. Being yourself is how you will find your group of people and make you much happier in high school. No one cares what you wear, what you do, or how you act; everyone is just trying to survive high school. Do not think everyone is watching you or cares what you do because they don’t. Be yourself and who you are. High school is not just about learning, but so much more: discovering yourself and thriving with the friends you make who like you for who you are.
