10 Steps to Guide Yourself Through High School: A Senior

As a senior in high school, I wish I would have known just a few things about high school my freshman self didn’t. A lot of kids might feel like high school is so hard and overwhelming, but I’m here to show how you can truly enjoy your years throughout high school. Although it’ll take dedication, time, and effort, these 10 steps will help allow incoming students to prosper into the individual they’ve always wanted to become. 

1. Have a Positive Outlook on Everything

Of course you will have those days where you aren’t feeling the greatest, but it is always important to look at the brighter side of things. It is so much easier to focus on the negative, but instead try to think of ways where you could take something negative and make it positive. When being positive, it makes situations feel more calm and helps to be clear headed.

2. If You Don’t Understand Something, ASK QUESTIONS

A lot of students are in the dark because of the confusion around them. Staff and teachers are there to help guide students and let them prosper. Asking questions is significant in learning on a day to day basis. It's better to try to understand something you’re not familiar with than to not know anything at all. It might be uncomfortable for some, but in the long run it will pay off. 

3. Allow Yourself to Open Up to Those Around You

It takes getting to know the people around us better to know our environment and to even learn new things about yourself. Surrounding yourself with people who try to educate each other and gather the community will open your eyes to so many possibilities; even to things you never thought to have interest in. When finding those genuine connections, you will have sources to come too and have people to join you on your journey towards your future. 

4. Join Clubs and Electives that Suit Your Best Interests

It is always good to keep yourself busy and interact with things that best suit you. Joining clubs and electives broadens your knowledge and can play a factor in how you can handle certain things in the future. For instance, joining a club that helps the environment and community, like Key Club can help future environmental activists to have background on what to do. It takes doing stuff like this in order to stay in tact with your interests and goals in life. 

5. Surround Yourself with People Who Help You to Grow as an Individual

When you’re around people who are always negative and don’t have their priorities straight, that can reflect and rub off on you  as well. As well as being around others who bring you down and undermine you aren’t worth your time. Give your time and efforts towards people who make you value your worth and friendship. People come and go but everybody in your life has a part to play in it. 

6. Live in the Moment

A lot of humans worry about things whether it's the past or future. Sometimes we forget to actually enjoy ourselves in the moment in which we live. Life is too short to stay upset about the old things and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. It is easier said than done but realizing this in the moment of need will remind yourself that everything will be just fine. 

7. Try Things You Haven’t Done Before

We as humans can be so quick to judge something before we have had the chance to do it. It could be something that you have always thought badly about but could end up being the thing you’re most passionate about. Especially when being in high school , these are the years to truly seek who you are and what interests you might have. 

8. Remember to Think Logically 

In a lot of cases it is crucial to remember to think logically. Thinking in this way will help prioritize your needs and how you can grow from there. 

9. Prioritize You and Your Health

This goes for overall life experiences, but it is so very significant to show up for yourself. To get yourself ready for the day and for night. If you don’t take care of yourself and your body, you won’t feel good physically or mentally. When not having a healthy routine, it can get in the way of how we feel and act in certain environments. Make sure to always take the time out of your day for yourself so that you can still get things like school and work done. 

10. ALWAYS Treat Others The Way You Want To Be Treated

Ever since I was an elementary schooler, I learned this one. Making someone feel unimportant and unwanted isn’t a feeling anybody ever wants to feel. Be the person who makes others feel welcomed. Respect people the way you want to be respected. Most of the time, people respond with what they receive. There will be people who try to break you down but those are the same people that are unhappy with their own lives. Hurt people hurt people and that's why it's so important to always love one another.

All things considered, I would like to personally add that I wish freshmen year me had this guide throughout my own years of high school. I wish I enjoyed more moments I experienced. I wish I involved myself in activities I could've gotten better at. It might not feel like it but high school truly does go by like a flash. Remember, always stay true to yourself and enjoy high school as much as you can!