Dear High School Me

I have been out of high school for 4 years, and although that is not a very long time, I have learned a lot in those past 4 years that I wish I knew (or thought differently of) when I was in high school. As many of you can agree, when you’re in high school, you think you know everything, but in reality we really don’t learn until later on in life. As we grow older and wiser we all look back and wish we did things a little differently.

Dear High School Me,

Whether you are reading this as a freshmen or a senior, this is what I’ve learned in the short 4 years after crossing the stage to receive my diploma. I know you think you are having the time of your life and everything is all fine and dandy, but I’d like you to think about some things. This is an important time of your life. It’s a time to sit back and enjoy life because time really does fly by with a blink of an eye. This is a time to do your best in all aspects because every grade received, every lesson learned, and every connection you make, will come into play when you’re older.

Everything changes when you get older, your body, your mind, your life. You will not, I repeat, will not, have the body and metabolism you have right now, when you get older. It is very important that you take care of your body. After all, it is the only place you have to live. Take care of it, feed it with healthy food, and keep up with exercising. Trust me when I say this, if you don’t exercise you will have a harder time trying to get back into shape later on. Take care of yourself now and keep it going long after high school is over. You laugh, but the freshmen 15 in college really does exist. If you keep your body looking good and healthy it will be better for your mind. You won’t be happy if you don’t eat right and exercise, all the carbs and sugar you eat now will eventually end up weighing you down, literally. Don’t let yourself slip, keep up with the maintenance and you’ll thank yourself later. You don’t want to be 10 pounds heavier, pulling on your skin where your fit muscles used to be and have to cut out all the food you once enjoyed for good. Low confidence will not help you in any aspect of your life. Take care of yourself now and your entire well being and you’ll be happier.

It is really important to know that all the heart aches in high school, although they seem like the end of the world to you right now, they are simply not worth the time crying over. High school relationships are not even a real relationship, they are just a friendship that you will eventually end up loosing. Harsh, but true. Relationships in high school do not even compare to relationships in the real world. There is no real compassion, no true love, and they take time and effort. If I have learned anything in the past few years is to spare all the heart ache over “boys” and wait till you find yourself a “man” (young man). Someone that will show you how to really love, to be there for you when you are at your breaking point, to take care of you and see you at your worst and still wake up and love you the same way he did yesterday or the first day he really felt love for you. Save the energy for a relationship that is rewarding and full of happiness and laughter. A relationship that is worth fighting for, not just fighting through. A relationship that is full of compassion and trust. You will find it, don’t worry.

Another thing that is very important is how well you do in high school, grades, extra curricular activities, they all play into effect when you go to college. If you have the chance, take the extra step. Take on the extra work and sign up for those AP classes. Yeah they seem like they are a lot of hard work and you don’t really feel like putting in the effort, it is worth it. Paying $80 for a college level course is a lot better than paying $1000+ in a couple of years from now. If you put in the hard work now to get good grades, all the time spent, will certainly pay off when you get to college. Pay attention and actually try to learn the information that boring teacher is trying to teach to you. Take notes and actually try to do well on the tests, instead of just trying to get a good grade in the class. Actually learn the boring information now and you will thank yourself in college.

With all this being said, the most important thing is to be HAPPY! Do what you do that makes you happy and live your life as a high school student. Have fun and enjoy your youth. The time in high school will come and go, enjoy every moment of it. Don’t let time get away from you. You CAN do it!

Sincerely,

Your Future Self