“Enjoy it while you can… the time flies!”

“High School wasn’t for me. I couldn’t wait to get to college.”

“High School was the best four years of my life.”

   Whatever you believe to be true, whenever someone asks you about your high school experience, you’ve probably heard them follow up with one of those statements. The shiny new lockers, (if you even use yours) having classes with your friends, and the newfound independence. You finally begin to discover who you are and who makes you happy, and even what path you want to follow to go to college. Quite honestly, I would personally argue that it isn’t “the best four years” of your life. Why? Because you cannot become too infatuated with a certain time frame, especially one so early in life. It leaves no room for growth. You can’t set unrealistic expectations. However, if you want to make your high school experience a positively memorable one, as an upcoming senior, I have learned lots of tips and tricks along the way.

High school is a sea of opportunity. You are able to choose your classes, clubs, and extracurriculars. If you feel as if you’re even the slightest bit interested in something, go for it! Take the risk! You wouldn’t want to be near your senior year and regret not joining that club or trying out for that team just because you are afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Early my freshman year, I really wished I had put Drama 1 on my schedule and auditioned for the shows here at school. I was too afraid to get out there even though I really wanted to be a part of the theatre department. I just knew it was going to be something that I loved. So, I decided to go for it. Sophomore year, I became immersed in the department and met so many wonderful, encouraging friends that have made the past two years the best. Surround yourself with kind and uplifting people so that you will always be motivated to try your hardest.

Don’t get too wrapped up in sticking to one specific friend group. You can visibly see a difference in the upperclassmen and lowerclassmen when it comes to this, though it does not apply to everyone, you can see that more often than not, upperclassmen are willing to be friends with and talk to everyone, while most underclassmen are still kind of nervous when it comes to stepping outside of their tight-knit group. Be open to talking to someone new!  They could be lifelong friends.

Finally, don’t slack. Each year counts! The only way you’ll be able to have fun in your free time is if you work hard to keep your grades in a good place. You may dread that challenging class each day, and procrastinate doing homework as much as you can, but it is better to not let yourself fall into a negative attitude. Once the semester or school year is complete, you will be proud of yourself for doing so well. Plus, what’s life without challenges?

While high school definitely has its ups and downs, it is what you make it. Don’t just float by and expect things to come to you. Take the risks, work hard, and make great memories! You will be glad you did.