By Morgan Hughes
Class of 2015
High school is where we are supposed to find ourselves,
prepare for college, a career, or service, become sufficient in the liberal
arts, and begin our paths to adult lives. If that doesn't sound like enough
pressure, we are expected to do it pretty much on our own. As a senior who has
done all this and is almost done with this part of my life, I now know a lot of
things I wish I did four years ago. I wish someone had told me what would help
me succeed and what would lead to my demise. Don’t walk through the doors of
the high school ever again without knowing these seven things that I wish I
knew as an underclassman.
Take advantage of
what other people have done.
No, I don’t mean in a parasitic way. I cannot stress this
one enough. Use what you have around you, and not just computers and books- use
your teachers. Even if you have never had a teacher in class, don’t be afraid
to talk to them. Mr. Duluk and Mr. Holster have given me a ton of information
about what to expect in college. Ms. Forsgard has talked to me about what it’s
like to learn and work in the broadcast journalism world. Mr. Russo used to
work at a radio station before he was a history teacher and knows a lot about
what it’s like to write ads for broadcasts. Mr. Scozzaro knows A LOT about
technology and social media- something that a school in this age needs. Don’t
be afraid to ask! Talking to teachers and other adults in and out of school has
helped me realize a lot about what I want and need to do in my educational and
vocational careers. I've been emailing teachers and alumni from colleges I may
want to attend and people who work in the career field I want to enter, and I
have learned so much from just talking to
them that I would not have been able to get off the internet. JUST TALK TO
SOMEONE!
Join clubs and
activities that interest you.
At Freshman Step Up Day, I was speaking to a few incoming
freshman boys about clubs and activities. When I tried to explain to them the
importance and value in joining clubs, they said “I play football, why would I
need to join any clubs?” Colleges look
for well-rounded students. Joining clubs is the perfect way to do this. Try
something that interests you, and you might discover a new passion you never
knew you had, and maybe even one that you want to do for a career. If a college
is looking at two students with good grades, and one is a one-sport athlete
while the other is in Debate, Science, Leo Club and plays a sport each season,
they are quickly going to choose the student with a variety of activities. They
want to see that you are educated and passionate about a variety of things, as
well as that you can manage your time well between extra-curriculars, school, and
work.
Start studying now!
Even if you’ve gotten straight A’s without reviewing your
notes once, college will be much different. You could take notes all semester
and have one or two huge tests in college. Although it’s easy to get by in high
school, things will quickly change once you leave here. You should get into the habit now so that you
don’t struggle until you actually get there. For now, study a week or two in
advance in small amounts. It’s more effective to study for thirty minutes at a
time with ten minute breaks than to cram it all in Sunday night! You will be
glad you did. Even better, you could study each night, going over the material
you just learned. This will be the best strategy in college when you have class
once a week. It’s easier said than done, but if you can buckle down and do it
you’re already in a better place than I am!
Take the most
challenging classes you can.
It’s better to have a B- in an AP class than an A+ in a
level one class. Colleges will want to see that you have challenged yourself.
It’s better to know this now than to figure it out Junior year when you have
one semester left to impress the college of your dreams. Start taking higher
level classes early so that you can get used to the course load and detailed
content. AP classes are also a good
indicator of what college classes will be like; a lot of information packed
into a short period of time!
The friends you have
now will most likely not be the friends you have forever.
You will most likely not be the same person senior year as
you were freshman year. Your interests, hobbies, talents, and even your
personality will change as you grow and begin to find yourself. You have to
remember that not everyone will develop like you do, and that may mean walking a different path than your friends
(whether it comes peacefully or not). You also have to remember that just
because you are in between friend groups, does not mean you will be a loner
forever. Friends come when you least expect it, and those are the best kind:
the people you share classes with, have interests in common with. When you
leave high school, it will be even easier to make friends with similar
interests, as at that point most people your age will have discovered
themselves and what they like to do. Just be friendly to everyone; you never
know when you might meet your new best friend.
Take a risk.
Contrary to popular social belief, you can in fact stray
away from what your friends do. If they are all on the lacrosse team and you
want to participate in the Debate Club on Thursdays, do it! Take a step outside
your comfort zone, and you will more likely than not come across new friends,
passions, and experiences that you had never even thought about before. There
are so many things available to you in high school that you haven’t had before.
This also applies outside of social constraints. Run for student government,
try out for the basketball team, and audition for the play. Don’t be afraid to
be the first person to present your project, sing your song, or give your
opinion. BE THE FIRST! It shows initiative and drive (AND teachers usually
grade the first person lighter because there is no one to compare them to). If
there’s something you want to do that no one else has done before, just go for
it. Start a club or be a part of
something that was outside of your limits before. First impressions matter, so make a bold one.
It’s not about who
you are, it’s about what you know.
Many people are afraid to step outside social boundaries and
break away from the in-crowd. Being ‘popular’ or accepted in high school
literally means nothing. The people who peak in high school could be the ones
who end up at dead-end jobs trying to live vicariously through their own
teenage children, and it could be YOU who becomes the CEO of a multi-million
dollar company. Be yourself. Do what you enjoy. Wear what makes you smile when
you look in the mirror. Say what you’re thinking. You can dress punk-rock and
be in the top ten percent of your class. You can join the theater and play
lacrosse. When you are comfortable enough
with yourself to break away from stereotypes and social constraints, you will
truly enjoy your life. And believe it or not, no one will care either
way. Really, no one will make fun of you
or even give a second thought about it. You are your greatest critic. In the
end, it’s not about who you were in high school: a jock, a nerd, a preppy, a
theater-kid or a band-kid. It’s ultimately about what you learned and the
person you have become through these experiences.
If I could go back in time and relive high school (which I
wouldn't do by choice) with the things I know now, I think I could have made my
four years worth a lot more. These are the last few years that you will have
with little to no serious responsibility. Make the most of it now that you know
these things, before it’s too late.
