Ed: Senior Logan Hubbard decided to use this platform to share her top 10 pieces of advice for high school students.
1. Give it your all.
Different students have different things that are important to them, (band, sports, clubs, etc.) but whatever you’re involved in, don’t do it unless you’re trying your hardest. No one wants a lazy teammate or group partner. And what’s the point of going out for something of completing an assignment if all your effort isn’t there?
2. Don’t complain.
School will be over in the blink of an eye; even if that’s cliche it’s more than true. Every time I remember I’m a senior, it seems less and less real. I remember freshman year like it was last week. So, although you might think you’re too tired to go to school in the morning or you have too much homework to go to practice, don’t complain. These are the years you will never get back; take advantage of them. You want to be able to look back and see that you made the most of them.
3. Don’t take people too seriously.
Boys might make fun of you and girls might talk behind your back. It’s high school, everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes you just have to move on and act like whatever happened, didn’t happen. Don’t let those things bother you because in the end you know yourself better than they do and what you say to yourself matters a lot more than what they say to you.
4. Don’t forget family.
Open up to your parents or guardians. They only want to help you. I think teenagers take advantage of their families a lot by using their money, vehicles and other resources. Most teenagers don’t spend quality time with their family and I think that’s really important. Being a senior now, I can imagine my life next year with all new people at college but the people I can’t believe I’ll have to live everyday life without are my parents. Try to spend as much time with them as possible while you’re in high school because it will never be the same.
5. Don’t be afraid of asking.
You can ask a teacher for help on homework. You can ask your school counselor to talk. You can ask your classmates or teammates for advice. You can’t be scared to ask for help. And at the end of the day it’s only helping yourself.
6. Put yourself out there.
You can’t expect others to constantly make the first move. Meet new people, introduce yourself, ask them to hangout. Just put yourself out there.
7. Think about your future.
I never thought about college enough when I was an underclassman. I pushed it back too much and I’m still stuck not exactly sure what I want to do, which is okay, but I definitely should have kept it in mind earlier. So don’t make it a huge deal, but just start thinking about your future now.
8. Social media isn’t everything.
It’s hard to stay away from social media. I know a lot of people worry about what to post, and followers and likes seem to mean a lot, but at the same time who cares? It doesn’t matter what you look like on a phone screen, it’s a lot more important how you really act and how you treat others. Social media is cool and all, but it’s not even close to actually getting to know someone in real life. And in ten years no one is going to care what you posted on your story in high school. It doesn’t matter as much as you think.
9. Embrace change.
Don’t be scared to try new things, meet new people, go new places. Personally I think that is what high school is all about. I’ve gone to very different high schools, and I have gotten to experience a lot of new people and environments. In high school you should be open to the changes that come your way. Make the most out of whatever happens because it will only happen once.
10. You’ll get through it.
It can get rough, but you’ll get through it. Friend groups change, you’ll go through some breakups, or maybe you’ll be overloaded with homework. Whatever it is, it isn’t going to last forever. I know how hard high school can be, but you can’t get too down about it. Make the best of what you get because that’s all you can do.