Recently, I had the opportunity to go back to middle school (literally, although my maturity hasn’t followed me since the 7th grade).  Memories of awkwardness and embarrassment rushed into my mind as soon as I walked in.

45 minutes later, after roaming around and catching up with old teachers, I walked out. I looked behind me. I realized I graduate next week. My whole life has prepared for it. You’ve heard the clichés about the how the journey is the best part, blah blah blah, but let me tell you something. They are in fact true. The journey is the best part of the destination and high school was the most thrilling part of the ride. (Although, recess and nap time were pretty sweet too).

To survive the high school journey there are a few things you’ll need: good advice, greater friends, and the best high school on the face of planet.

Don’t be afraid to get involved. Some activities and sports are better than you would think. I know, I know, who would ever want to join something like math team, where people actually do math for “fun”. Or school newspaper where you get to write articles for “enjoyment”. Even worse, joining something like cross country where people willingly choose to run miles for “pleasure.” (Oh wait, I actually did these things).  But trust me, all of those are much better than you would think. Some of my closest friendships have grown even closer because I decided to take a step, literally, and join those things. No matter what club or sport you think you have any interest in, it’s worth looking into and trying out. Find out what your interests are.

Study hard. This one should be a given, but sometimes it’s hardly gotten. It’s super super important. It’s something that teaches patience, time management, and self discipline. It’s carried me for four years (Well almost… the senior slide happens). I cannot stress how important this is. We’ve all heard “I didn’t even study and I got an A”– don’t amp. You either studied or paid very good attention in class. It’s best to just hit the books to avoid the stress so you can do well on the test. Even if you don’t, just make it look like you gave a little effort in class. A little goes a long way for teachers.

Buuuuut….. not too hard. Don’t get me wrong, maintaining a solid GPA and class rank is important, as well as great  ACT and SAT scores. But there may be nights where you just need to relax. Sleep may sometimes be more important than studying. Some nights you just really decide that you want to hang out with your friends. I feel you.  Don’t take this as advice to just completely massacre your grades; colleges still need senior transcripts at the end of third trimester! Keep them presentable. This one goes out to all the bandies out there: for the love of God, don’t miss more than one lesson. Failure notices really do come in the mail.

Go to some school events. There are so many things that are so amazing that go on at the high school, from musical and theater performances to school dances and athletic events. There is something for everyone to enjoy. Even if you don’t think you would like band concerts or plays, at the very least go to support your friends. It goes a long way to whoever is performing. (Thanks to my family and friends that have had to endure boring band concerts.) Attend sporting events, even if you don’t know anything about the sport. (Yes, I now know the difference between a field goal and punt.) The experience might be worth it and it is another opportunity to spend time with people you know. Finally, if you are nervous about going to dances, don’t be. Just go. Everyone sucks at dancing anyway. Who knows, you might just go wild.

Find a supportive group of friends. This might be one of the most important pieces of advice. High school is an emotional rollercoaster and affects us all differently. You might feel happy, sad, and angry in the span of eight hours. The best remedy to get through the day is having people who are always by your side to help you through it. I cannot tell you how much it means to me if someone notices I’m acting different and asks if I’m ok. I cannot tell you how great it is to have people who can tolerate how idiotic my comments can be. Friendship is powerful, and finding good friends is the first step.

Lastly, I just want to thank the teachers who have helped me journey all the way from awkward freshman to where I am today. I wouldn’t have been here without my teachers who genuinely want all of their students to succeed and devote hours of their time being there to help out or coach other students. They are more than just teachers to me–they are role models. They really do have lives outside of school, and I am grateful for everything that they do.

Man, I am really going to miss this place.