To the first football game during freshman year, up to graduation, they were right when they said those 4 years go by fast. It’s a journey that shapes everyone up for adulthood. We face new journeys and meet new friendships, and often along the way, some events can change our perspective on life for the better or worse. I was never the most outgoing and didn’t attend many school events outside the sports games. I can still say I made memories that have impacted who I am today, and for that, I am grateful.
Academically, I realized over time that I may have held myself back from my full potential as a student, as I never actually struggled with anything besides math classes, including physics, which I lost about half of the time. It was never really my strong suit, as I had to get tutoring and even stay after school many days to give myself a fighting chance. Overall, everywhere else, I didn’t find much trouble. Still, as I got older, I slowly found myself less caring about my grades, whether it was because of my mental health or just overall procrastination. Regardless, it was no fault but my own.
Socially, I’ve had my ups and downs as I still have friendships from the first days of freshman year, but also have fallen off with some I considered “brothers” at the time. But with that being said, I can say I’ve been the “class clown” and I can also say I’ve been the “quiet kid” depending on the class and what the people in there brought out of me. On another note, I can say Looks matter to a certain extent, as I grew up kind of chubby until junior year. I noticed a difference in how I was treated, with me losing almost 60 pounds throughout my junior/senior years. From small compliments from friends to getting approached by a woman first, these things hadn’t happened growing up, and they boosted my confidence and made me carry myself better to who I am now.
Parties were never really my cup of tea, but I went when invited. If I could advise an upcoming freshman, I would say go to every event possible, as you don’t want to live with any regrets in the future, and overall have fun. My main focal point of high school was my journey of self-discovery, which is a journey I’m still on to this day. My relationships have taught me many lessons and things about myself that I wouldn’t have learned without them. One thing is to love yourself first. Without self-love, you can expose yourself to being disrespected by the ones you hold onto, and it begins with setting boundaries not only with other people but also with yourself. It goes a long way, even beyond high school, because it makes you realize your worth as a human being.
With that being said, The high school experience is more than just a stepping stone to college or a job it is a journey of becoming who and what you want to be. It provides a foundation of information, character, and experience that shapes who a person is and who they aspire to be. Though each high school experience is different, most would agree that it is a time of significant growth, filled with challenging and unforgettable moments, moments that impact your character and what you want to be. Looking back, many people recognize high school as a vital period in their lives one that helped prepare them not just for adulthood, but for life itself.
