How to survive four years of High School

How to survive four years of High School

Surviving high school is a matter of skill, luck, and tolerance. When thinking of survival in this prison, try to think of what Indiana Jones would do, beyond the fact that no one here will ever be as cool as him. Making it through high school can be tough, so we will give you some insight as to how we managed to get by, (and when I say that I mean just barely). Without further adieu, here’s some tips to survive high school!

Audrey’s Tips:

  1. Set an alarm. I can’t count the number of times I’ve either fallen asleep without setting an alarm or slept through my numerous alarms. Being on time to school is important but being late a few times in your life isn’t the worst thing that can happen. Yes, you should do everything in your power to make sure you wake up on time and if that means setting 12 alarms then go for it. If that means having your parents come to your room and wake you up every day then that works too. But I cannot stress enough that being late a few times is not the worst thing that can happen to you. If it does happen, just get your pass from our lovely ladies in the office and try again the next day.
  1. Don’t worry about other people’s opinions. If you go through high school caring so much about what everyone else is doing and how you can impress them then you’re not going to enjoy your time in high school. Don’t be afraid to be who you truly are and express yourself. High school is the time to figure out who you are and what you like so don’t let anyone’s opinions of you stand in the way of becoming the best version of you. Dress how you want and do what you want. If people are going to judge you for it, chances are they aren’t worth your time anyway.
  1. Join a sport or club. One of the best ways to make friends in high school is through clubs and sports. If you’re not athletic and can’t find a sport you enjoy, then join a club. There a variety of clubs that cater to everyone at BHS. When you involve yourself it’s easier to make connections with upperclassmen and other kids outside of your class in general. From experience I can tell you there are a whole bunch of awesome people out there other than in just your grade.
  1. Chase your dreams. Everyone has plans, and if you don’t, you will someday. Look at your life and find your interests. If you don’t have any yet, then high school is the perfect time to discover them. Once you’ve really got a set idea of what you like, find a job that relates to it and make a career out of it. Of course not everyone knows right away where they want to go to college or what they want to major in. For some people college isn’t right for them and that’s okay too. If anyone tells you you won’t make it in your chosen career field or that it’s too difficult or not a well-paying job don’t listen to them. Maybe start off small and aim for that difficult job but don’t give that dream up just because it’s difficult. If you find your passion, fight for it and don’t ever let it go because you will get there someday. It will take a lot of time and a lot of effort but it will be worth it once you can finally say, ‘I made it’.
  1. Just let yourself have fun. Yes, school is important but the complete high school experience isn’t just about the work load. You can graduate top ten in your class and dedicate all your high school career to your school work, but if you look back, did you really get to enjoy high school? It’s great to graduate top of your class but during that time you work so hard every day and every night make sure you give yourself some time to just be a teenager and let loose every once in a while. You will regret it if you look back and your only memories from high school are completing your schoolwork.

Kenneth’s tips:

  1. Getting enough sleep is crucial to make it through high school. With the lack of sleep, you will find yourself groggy, and functioning very poorly. Also, you’re more prone to bad things, such as road rage. I’m talking about the ones where you let out a whole paragraph of words that will make your grandma get flustered and flip with blind rage as she throws her freshly baked blueberry pie on the floor…you know, real horror. That’s the kind stuff that nightmares are often made of.
  1. Not being true to yourself is another method to make high school easier. I mean think about it: chameleons never wear their true colors, so why should you? To add to that, chameleons are actually cooler, and the more you act like a chameleon, the better you’ll feel. What I’m trying to say is: don’t be yourself, just try to be like a real life chameleon; eat flies with your tongue and blend in with the walls as you effortlessly climb around the halls while hiding from other predatory animals. Along with never having a girlfriend for all four years, not being able to live as a real-life chameleon is truly the biggest regret that I have for high school.
  1. Making friends is never a bad thing either. If there’s anything that hours worth of binge watching Game of Thrones has taught me it’s that having more people swear loyalty to you helps you build a better army. You can borrow money off of them and not pay them for like 2 years, and they’d still be kind of okay with you. A little annoyed, but cool enough to let you borrow another $3 when you need it. They can also give you free car rides. Really it’s like having parents who approve of you.
  1. One way to go about high school is to establish your dominance within these walls. When you think of this, think of yourself as a mix between Walter White from Breaking Bad and an angsty teenager telling their parents to get out of their room while donning the really edgy Hot Topic merch. Once you establish your dominance, nobody will ever consider making fun of you, and everyone will want to date you. Or at least I think that’s how it works. To be honest I was really more like a confused turtle in a Starbucks outlet through all of my years of high school.
  1. Smile. In all seriousness, this is what kept me together through all four years of this poorly cooked pot of instant ramen called high school. Smiling through the ups and downs of life will help you see that life is something that you dictate for yourself. Even if you’re getting rained out, or stuck in traffic, it’s perceiving things in a better light that will help you pull through effortlessly. Don’t limit your happiness to yourself either. Spread it around like some cheesy virus from a 90s sitcom, and make this world a happier place one person at a time. All it takes is a little smile.

Just like our columns, high school will eventually come to an end. Remember that nothing is permanent. Enjoy your time while you’re here because soon enough you’ll be regretting wishing it all away. High school is what you make it, so make it great. Now it’s our time to be done, so here is our sincere goodbye and good luck with whatever you all choose to embark on.