No matter how much my older brothers told me, I could never have been completely prepared for high school. No book of advice or voice of wisdom can prepare another for the situations and feelings encountered in high school. I can hardly narrow down the three most important lessons that I learned in possibly the four most difficult, unbelievable, and thrilling years of my life (so far!); but, I'll try. As a senior in high school, the three most important lessons that I can impart on an incoming freshman would be put your entire effort into everything you do, take risks, and most importantly, be loyal to your true self.
As a mentor to a younger student, I would tell him or her to put all effort possible into everything they do in high school. Never settle for mediocre. In my experience, I have found that as long as I put my entire being and soul into trying something, I end up feeling better about myself, no matter what the outcome is. Sophomore year of high school, I spent my summer training for soccer tryouts. I planned on being part of the varsity squad that fall. I put more effort into this than anything else before. I never made the team. After getting over the initial shock, I looked back on my failure as one of the best learning experiences of my life. I knew that I tried my hardest. I never walked off the field saying to myself "you could have run harder" because I knew that I did my absolute best. After all was said and done, I did not feel regret or sadness. I had overcome my failure by knowing that I did everything I could have done. In high school, coping with failure comes easiest when you know that you put your all into doing something. In high school, everyone fails and succeeds at one point or another. Only in trying your absolute hardest can you be aware of everything that you are capable of doing. Only in trying your hardest do you stretch your limits and learn your boundaries.
Risk taking is another essential part of "the high school experience". Throughout early childhood, the biggest risk you have to take is coloring books. Before entering high school, any big decision that needed to by made was made by parents or guardians. High school is the place where you can take your own big risks, but still be able to pick up the pieces if things fall apart. Trying new things and challenging yourself to explore previously uncharted territory will help you figure out who you really are. After my disappointing soccer experience, I had to either try something else or quit sports altogether. I finally decided to try running cross country. I was extremely apprehensive. I had never run competitively before and I had no idea whether or not I could deal with the pressure. I tried it anyway. On the cross-country team, I discovered my passion for running. Throughout high school, I have also challenged myself academically. In middle school, I was always in the high classes. But, high school offered much more demanding and rigorous courses. I could have taken the easier way out and opted for less demanding classes; but I didn't. I felt confidence in myself that I would be up to the challenge. Taking this risk showed my of how much I was capable. Any incoming freshman would benefit from knowing that it is ok to take risks. If you happen to fail, there is usually a way out. But, only in taking risks do you discover parts of yourself you never knew existed.
The most important lesson that I could impart on any incoming freshman would be to be yourself. Avoid following the crowd. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in high school was how to be myself. Only as a senior can I look back on my high school experience and say this was the hardest lesson. As freshmen, we travel in packs to bathroom, play the sports that all of our friends play, and take the classes that all of out friends take. The more we progress through high school, the followers keep doing all the exact same things that their friends do, not because themselves enjoy doing so. But more so because they are petrified of straying from the crowd. The lesson I can give to younger students would be stray from the crowd. In my own personal experience, not being a follower and being true to myself has shown me who my real friends are. Your friends are not the people who want you to imitate them. Your friends are the people who respect and admire everything about you that is different, and love you for it. They do not judge you because you did not go out and get "hammered" last weekend, like "everyone else". Your real friends will be your friends no matter what you do.
Putting effort into all that you do, taking risks, and being loyal to yourself are the most important things that any incoming freshman will learn in high school. Although, four years of experiences can, in no way, be grouped together in these three separate categories. From each individual experience in high school, many lessons may be learned. The words of wisdom I can leave a freshman with would be good luck, and you will get through it. No matter how many times I thought to myself "this week, this month, this year will never end!", it always did. No matter how bad you think you "screwed up", time will fix everything that was meant to be fixed. I would also tell the freshmen to make the best of the time you have here. As I am sadly and joyously learning now (with 46 days and counting to go!), high school will be over before you know it. Make sure your high school experience is one that you will look back and remember, whether your experience is good or bad. High school is the place where you will reinvent the kid you were in middle school. And if you think you did not do so great reinventing yourself this time? Then there's always college.
As a mentor to a younger student, I would tell him or her to put all effort possible into everything they do in high school. Never settle for mediocre. In my experience, I have found that as long as I put my entire being and soul into trying something, I end up feeling better about myself, no matter what the outcome is. Sophomore year of high school, I spent my summer training for soccer tryouts. I planned on being part of the varsity squad that fall. I put more effort into this than anything else before. I never made the team. After getting over the initial shock, I looked back on my failure as one of the best learning experiences of my life. I knew that I tried my hardest. I never walked off the field saying to myself "you could have run harder" because I knew that I did my absolute best. After all was said and done, I did not feel regret or sadness. I had overcome my failure by knowing that I did everything I could have done. In high school, coping with failure comes easiest when you know that you put your all into doing something. In high school, everyone fails and succeeds at one point or another. Only in trying your absolute hardest can you be aware of everything that you are capable of doing. Only in trying your hardest do you stretch your limits and learn your boundaries.
Risk taking is another essential part of "the high school experience". Throughout early childhood, the biggest risk you have to take is coloring books. Before entering high school, any big decision that needed to by made was made by parents or guardians. High school is the place where you can take your own big risks, but still be able to pick up the pieces if things fall apart. Trying new things and challenging yourself to explore previously uncharted territory will help you figure out who you really are. After my disappointing soccer experience, I had to either try something else or quit sports altogether. I finally decided to try running cross country. I was extremely apprehensive. I had never run competitively before and I had no idea whether or not I could deal with the pressure. I tried it anyway. On the cross-country team, I discovered my passion for running. Throughout high school, I have also challenged myself academically. In middle school, I was always in the high classes. But, high school offered much more demanding and rigorous courses. I could have taken the easier way out and opted for less demanding classes; but I didn't. I felt confidence in myself that I would be up to the challenge. Taking this risk showed my of how much I was capable. Any incoming freshman would benefit from knowing that it is ok to take risks. If you happen to fail, there is usually a way out. But, only in taking risks do you discover parts of yourself you never knew existed.
The most important lesson that I could impart on any incoming freshman would be to be yourself. Avoid following the crowd. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in high school was how to be myself. Only as a senior can I look back on my high school experience and say this was the hardest lesson. As freshmen, we travel in packs to bathroom, play the sports that all of our friends play, and take the classes that all of out friends take. The more we progress through high school, the followers keep doing all the exact same things that their friends do, not because themselves enjoy doing so. But more so because they are petrified of straying from the crowd. The lesson I can give to younger students would be stray from the crowd. In my own personal experience, not being a follower and being true to myself has shown me who my real friends are. Your friends are not the people who want you to imitate them. Your friends are the people who respect and admire everything about you that is different, and love you for it. They do not judge you because you did not go out and get "hammered" last weekend, like "everyone else". Your real friends will be your friends no matter what you do.
Putting effort into all that you do, taking risks, and being loyal to yourself are the most important things that any incoming freshman will learn in high school. Although, four years of experiences can, in no way, be grouped together in these three separate categories. From each individual experience in high school, many lessons may be learned. The words of wisdom I can leave a freshman with would be good luck, and you will get through it. No matter how many times I thought to myself "this week, this month, this year will never end!", it always did. No matter how bad you think you "screwed up", time will fix everything that was meant to be fixed. I would also tell the freshmen to make the best of the time you have here. As I am sadly and joyously learning now (with 46 days and counting to go!), high school will be over before you know it. Make sure your high school experience is one that you will look back and remember, whether your experience is good or bad. High school is the place where you will reinvent the kid you were in middle school. And if you think you did not do so great reinventing yourself this time? Then there's always college.
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