Photo taken by Baim Hanif on Unsplash

1. Friends will come and go.
This first one may sound pessimistic, but it’s true. Everyone meets new people in high school and that’s not a bad thing. We move on and you learn a lot from meeting new people. You may not hang out with the same people you hung out with in middle school, but you have the people you have now.

2. Follow your own path.
You’re going to see the people who have similar career paths. You might feel left out or unprepared, but in reality it’s all about your path. You own of control of what you want to do. Don’t let that be determined by what everyone else around you is doing. That is their path not yours, they have their own goals. Yours can be different.

3. Do not pressure yourself.
I’m not gonna lie, the feeling of everyone having their own plans is intimidating. Everyone can have their own life planned out already and what classes they’re gonna take the next couple years. You’re going to feel like you need to do that, but in reality you don’t. If you know what you want to do and it does not require extra work, don’t do it. Now, I’m not saying don’t take the opportunities you have. I’m saying, don’t feel pressured to work the extra mile because everyone else is.

4. It’s okay to be lost and confused.
There were many points of my high school years that I didn’t know who I was. This doesn’t just apply to me, but it applies to everyone else too. You could be joining a new club with no expectations and realize it’s not what you like. That’s okay! Or you might not know what career to do by the end and that’s okay. There are so many opportunities to grasp outside of high school.

5. Take care of yourself
Self-care is important. What branches off from that is self-love. It is so crucial to give yourself that reassurance. You cannot give all your willpower and strength without taking care of your body. You can’t be yourself 100% if you’re not treating your mind and body right. Always put your health first before school.

6. Acceptance leads to growth.
No one is perfect. I’ve failed tests, skipped school on accident, or forgot about my responsibilities. Everyone has their imperfections. However, it’s important to take a step back and learn from them. Not just learn from them, but accept that you did it and move on. When we learn from our mistakes we can grow to be better.

7. Don’t feel discouraged by other people.
With test scores, club positions, and sports everything may seem like a competition. In reality, everyone is trying to do their best and make something of themselves. The real competition is yourself and the opportunities you’re hesitating to pursue. Don’t let people get in your way of finding your potential. All that matters is yourself in this situation.

8. Embrace the friends you have now.
Aside from the motivational talk, love your friends. Hug your friends. Talk to your friends. In reality, you may not be in touch with them after high school. Everyone has their own path and goals. Appreciate the people that push you to become better. Those are real friends.

9. Have fun!
School isn’t just for academics. I’m not a social person, but going to school events was always fun. It’s nice to know that every school has their own spirit and personality. Go to school events, football games, or go out with your friends!

10. High school is not forever.
I’m not going to lie, not everyone has that amazing high school experience, myself included. Not everyone is gonna be valedictorian of the school or president of leadership. There are going to be the people who are ahead of the game from everyone else, that’s how life it. It’s okay if you didn’t achieve much in high school, because those four years are only a small portion of your life. Who knows, when you become an adult you’ll probably have millions of other opportunities open to you. Remember that those four years of adolescence are just the beginning of your life.