What they say is true, that high school moves fast. It’s filled with core moments that create the person you will be as you enter the adulting world, but you won’t notice those turning points until the ending months of your high school career.
I started my freshman year with a completely different mindset. Without a doubt, I thought these would be the best four years of my life, turns out it has been a momentous realization of the worst experience.
Everyone in high school is figuring out who they are and what they want to be a part of. You test different friends, teachers, classes, sports and sometimes all fails and nothing turns out the way you wanted. I came into high school with a friend group I thought would be in my life forever. Unfortunately, things change and sometimes it’s for the better; at least for me it was. My personal life outside of school was maturing me as a person at a quicker pace than any of my friends, and they no longer allowed me to grow into a better person.
I told myself high school is a place to find temporary adjustments that fit into your current life. High school friends are temporary, and I’ve accepted that because the people here are a minuscule portion of the people I will meet in my time on Earth. In those temporary times, I found myself without the support of a friend, I took the time for myself and did things I’ve always wanted to do. In the end it’s gonna be me who crosses the finish line and the people beside me do not matter.
In the last few months of senior year, that’s when I took the initiative and got a hold of my life. I asked for help from my teachers although that’s a scary thing to do I’ll admit. Giving them some information from my personal life allowed them to understand what was going on and they gave me their empathy. If I had any advice for underclassmen I would suggest getting close to your teachers. Create a bond with them and use them as a tool, like a mentor. Most of the teachers at WJ are patient and care about their students, they will accommodate you as long as they see the effort you put forth. When the start of your senior year comes around, remember who is writing your recommendations for your future; it’s not your friends, or your parents, it’s the teachers who have already crossed the finish line themselves.