You should never take your high school years for granted. Having new friends, joining a club or sport, or just trying your best in school will all be memories in the future that you’ll reminisce on, even the bad ones. My high school career has had its ups and downs, low grades, low bad test scores, skipping, etc, etc, etc. At the end of all of those events, you gain
some type of lesson along the way. This article is to tell the reader some stuff that I recommend you do and some stuff that I DON’T recommend you do, all from personal experience.
Skipping, unfortunately, is a part of my past. Beginning freshman year, I was anxious and paranoid, but it became a
normal habit after that until junior year. I realized its negative impact and I turned myself around almost instantly after seeing how BAD my past grades were, like D’s and E’s up and down the board. After that, I improved my grades as well as my vision for the future. I know that rebellion is a common experience for many high school students. But I’ve found that skipping class robs you of the knowledge you’ll need to succeed later in life, and just like skipping class, skipping work robs you of your paycheck, so I don’t recommend it.
I strongly agree that every high school student should get a job. My McDonald’s experience wasn’t anything fun. I had to deal with annoying customers and just messy situations. Besides that, it was something that toughened me up. Though the job wasn’t my favorite, earning my own money was a big advantage. I appreciate the experience because the fast-paced setting gave me skills that employers value. So, if you’re deciding whether to work, do it, earn money, and gain some valuable experience.
As a sophomore and freshman, I tried a few substances, something which I don’t recommend. Your grades are affected, friends drift away, and there are genuine risks to your mental and physical health. You may experience these things later in life, but high school is most certainly not the place. Believe me, once you begin, it can rapidly go downhill, and you’ll burn bridges that you can’t build back.
Step outside your comfort zone and try something new, learn an instrument or try a different style, or try a sport. These experiences shape who you are and who you’ll become in the future. I learned how to play guitar, and now it’s just a part of me. Don’t be afraid to try things, though; they look good on a college resume, as well. Definitely try anything because you might not get another chance, and you only live once, sooo go for it.
In general, high school is a place to have fun and create memories. Try new things and learn good habits, and discover new hobbies, such as joining clubs or playing sports; those types of things help shape your future. When people say “four years are going to fly by,” I didn’t believe it at first, and being as a person who’s about to graduate, they weren’t playing; four years passed as fast as a blink of an eye, so don’t slack, but try to have fun.
