Hey you,
You’re finally there. You’re now playing with the big kids. This is what you’ve been waiting for – the four years of transition from a little to a big teenager and the years filled with sports events, school spirit, new relationships and so much more.
Before you know it, you’ll be driving instead of taking the bus or getting dropped off by your mom. You’re going to be friends with people you never thought you’d be friends with. You might even be experimenting with alcohol and drugs in some kid’s basement just to be cool. You’ll be gearing up for graduation and will be happy to get out of there, but deep down, you’ll be a little bit sad to say goodbye to your friends and the past four years of your life.
I know you’re excited. I know you think these are going to be the best years of your life. Well, sorry to break it to you, but it’s not. It may feel like they are going to be, but it’s just going to be mediocre at most. It’s going to be memorable, it’s going to carefully and slowly shape you into who you are going to be in the future, but it’s not going to be iconic. Your life is going to get so much more exciting year after year, especially after high school.
High school is an awkward time where you keep thinking you’re all grown up, but the reality is, you are still just a kid. It doesn’t even matter when your math teacher calls you a “young adult” – you’re not even close. Also, you probably aren’t going to stay friends with most of the people from your school. If you’re lucky, you’ll leave with a few solid ones that you keep in touch with for as long as you can until you separate and build your own lives elsewhere.
I don’t know how to simply tell you what you should expect, or what you should do going into high school. There’s so much to say that one letter isn’t enough. But, I want to point out some of the most important things you should remember.
Don’t waste your time caring what people think. You’re better than that, and better than them. If they judge, then screw them. They’re ignorant little children.
With that said, don’t judge others either. Don’t tease. Don’t joke around and make fun of others or put others down. It’s disrespectful – nobody will enjoy your presence.
Popularity doesn’t mean crap. Freshman year, you may think that’s all that matters, but it’s not at all. What determines that ‘popular kids’ are better than you are?
Take this time to explore and invest in your interests. Really take time and make an effort to find out what your passions are and appreciate them. This is so important. Your passion drives you and gives you energy and life, so why not do all that you can to find out what it is and really pursue it? This will also come in handy when college applications roll around.
You’ll probably experiment with drugs, alcohol, sex, and whatever you can think of. I can’t tell you not to do it. But, I can tell you to be careful of your actions. Please, your health and well-being are more important than proving to people you can chug a whole bottle of vodka (when in reality, you may have never even taken a shot). Not only could you affect yourself, but you could also affect others. Also, getting caught is not worth it. Your parents will be disappointed and your record will be damaged. I’m not saying experimenting is bad and always ends up badly –it’s just a possibility, especially if you aren’t careful. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting, as long as you’re smart about it.
And if you don’t experiment with any of those things, there is nothing wrong with that at all. Nobody says you have to. It’s actually quite impressive, and respectable. Don’t give in to peer pressure – which is very real in high school.
Don’t slack in school. You may think that one homework assignment may not count towards your final grade, but one assignment turns into three, and that B+ can turn into a B-. Yes, it’s busy work and it may seem like a waste of time, but just do it. It’ll train you for college too, where the little assignments weigh heavily on your grades.
The friends you start school with may not be the friends you end school with. Friends will come and go throughout the four years. But, the ones that stay will be the ones you won’t want to leave.
Don’t get into a relationship for the sake of having a relationship. Don’t date the captain of the football team because he’s the captain of the football team and is really hot. It’s a waste of your time and energy, and not to crush your dreams, but a lot of the time high school relationships don’t last, especially once you graduate. If you can handle dating like this, go ahead, but if you’re a fall hard, love hard type of girl, don’t set yourself up to get hurt.
Respect the teachers and staff members. Build relationships with them. Not only will that make things easier for you when applying for college and you need recommendations, but it will make the academic part of school much more enjoyable. Liking your teacher will make class fun, and you’ll be able to approach them if you need extra help. They care about you and are trying their best to do their jobs well, so whatever you do, don’t disrespect them.
With all that said, definitely try to enjoy your time there. Make some friends, go to a school event, join a club, and don’t worry too much about what’s going on. Make the best of the situations you put yourself in. If you don’t get the part in the school play, or fail a test, then say, “Whatever, I tried my best. Next time I’ll try harder.” Focus on yourself, focus on your academics, hobbies, and relationships. Think before you do, and enjoy being a teenager.