Grab your hats ladies and gentleman, you are entering the strange and neurotic world that is High School– congratulations! Although there will be numerous occasions where you will question why you have not dropped out yet, or signed up for easier classes, fear not! The reward for all of the hard work, tears and sleepless nights will manifest itself through college merit scholarships and the winning of potential scholarships. Friend groups will melt and reform and you may see your High School start to resemble the movies that you used to watch when you were younger, but honestly everyone around you is experiencing the weird struggle between young adulthood and the lab experiment that most people were in Middle School. If you apply yourself wholeheartedly in every venture you undertake, the differentiation between the two will come without conscious effort. According to philosopher Jean- Paul Sartre, there is no wrong answer as long as it is genuine: as corny and cliche as it is, be yourself, even if ‘ you’ is not defined yet.
Getting involved in clubs and sports is a priceless way to form connections with new people and get your feet wet in your new environment. Never be afraid of being the underdog in these situations, as if you are in fact in a genuine crowd of people, they will help support and expand your ideas and knowledge– this is true of classes, and of course with friends. Once again, you do not owe anyone anything of yours, most importantly your time. Do not allow other people to distract you from your ultimate goals or from practicing your beliefs or ambitions: ‘ no’ is a valid term, and you should never feel the weight of it as being unbearable. You personally are responsible for your actions, your future, and your success, and to put that power in the hands of others for the sake of fitting in or making a few quick friends may be one of the costliest transactions made, especially at such a pivotal point in your life. So stay true, stay focused, and value yourself and your opinions as speaking your mind is something that rarely occurs and will save you a lot of trouble when discerning what avenues to explore beyond your four years.
