by Devon Goldstein ‘21

Going through high school from freshman to senior year, you tend to notice and learn things from your own experiences and those around you. Throughout high school I have come to realize that things won’t always go as planned, but you should try to control what you can. From my first hand experiences and struggles, here is a list of my DOs and DON’Ts of high school:

DON’T place yourself in a box. You should always be open to trying new things. High school prepares students for college and being independent in the real world, so you should be willing to try something new even if it scares you a little. Whether it be learning a new subject or talking to new people, trying something that is out of your comfort zone can help you grow. 

DO find a balance between your studies and social life. Even though high school is a time to make new friends and try new things, school is not the second priority. School should come before parties, sports games, and dances. However, you should make time to be with your friends and family. Trying hard in school pays off and feels great when you get the recognition you deserve but alongside your education, finding your group of people and those that will support you is a very important part of high school. 

DO utilize the resources available to you. Whether it be teachers, other students, or online help, using resources will make a huge difference in your success in high school. Just going to a teacher during lunch to get a little extra help on a topic can improve your grade from a B to an A. Even if you are thinking that going to get help during lunch won’t do anything or that you “don’t have the time” … trust me, you do and it will be worth it. 

DON’T compare yourself to others. All throughout high school you will see your peers and friends doing some different things than you are. When you see this, you should not compare yourself to them. Doing so will only make you feel bad about yourself and wish you were doing what they were. Trust me, 80 percent of the time they aren’t having as much fun as they seem to be online. Learning to think and act for yourself is very important in high school. I ended up learning this later on but once I did, I started becoming an overall happier and better person. 

DO cherish the years you have in high school. Although it may seem cheesy, time really does fly by when you’re in high school. You don’t notice what you’re missing until it’s gone. Having a lot of my senior year taken away from Covid-19 made me realize how special all of the little moments you experience really are. Cherish all of the school dances, football games, pep rallies, and individual moments you have with those around you at school because you only really experience it once. 

DON’T stress out over the little things. When in high school this may seem very hard not to do; however, over time it begins to get easier. Trust me. Whether it be one bad grade on a test, one mess up at your sports game, or missing one small detail during the day, don’t work yourself up and stress over it. Something I have learned through my four years in high school is that everything will work out the way it is supposed to in the end. Move past the small bumps in the road and focus on the bigger picture.