"Right in the Middle of What You Used to Look Forward to" by Alexandra

"Right in the Middle of What You Used to Look Forward to" by Alexandra - March 2019 Scholarship Essay

As a current senior, I have experienced all of the typical ups and downs of high school. However, whether if it was through me celebrating my tennis team’s victories or me stressing out over college applications with my fellow classmates, I was always glad to be living my own high school experience. Thus, the piece of advice I would give the incoming freshmen class is to not constantly worry about the next part of their life because they are probably right in the middle of what they used to look forward to.
This piece of advice is intended to make the incoming freshmen know that everything will all turn out fine in the end. From my own experiences of being in the rigorous International Baccalaureate Program (IB), I know that there were times in which I was so stressed about future assignments that I had lost track of the present. High school students are constantly overwhelmed with due dates, yet it is perfectly acceptable to take a step back and realize that it is all manageable if they take it one step at a time. Having strong time management skills is the solution to this issue as it lowers the student’s stress level and it opens up free time. Also, it is imperative to realize that your fellow peers are going through the same struggle and that the upperclassmen have already gone through these experiences. Thus, freshmen should not be scared to ask for help from their classmates or older students. As a freshman, I became friends with the seniors and they were my encouragement throughout my first year. They were the ones who showed me that it is important to cherish your high school years and to attend all of the different social events. High school is only four years long and it really does go by in the blink of the eye; therefore, I advise the incoming freshmen to realize that they have just entered a new phase of their lives that should be highly valued.
My advice is also meant to make the incoming freshmen realize that they do not have to always worry about the consequences. For instance, during my entire junior year I was stressed about standardized testing therefore, I barley hung out with my friends and I rarely participated in any opportunities. Reflecting back, I deeply regret this choice because I feel as if I had just locked myself away from being a risk taker and experiencing new things. As a result, I stressed myself out and I ended up not performing quite as well as I had expected. It was not until the summer of my junior year that I liberated myself from my restraints and as a result my standardized test scores improved. High school students need to take breaks from the stress and they should not be afraid to do so. As a senior, I set out the goal to follow this piece of advice; consequently, I felt as if I were constantly smiling and enjoying my high school experience. Allowing oneself to have more freedom is essential to mental and physical wellbeing and it will ergo give them an enriched experience.
If I would have taken this advice to heart when I was an incoming freshmen, I would have been exposed to more opportunities. As a child, I had always dreamed of being a teenager and finally having more independence. I had found it fascinating to be a high school student and so I went into high school with great expectations. However, it was not until my last year that I let myself live the high school experience I had desired. During my senior year, I participated in numerous events that brought me closer to my IB family. These events left me with numerous beautiful memories that I would never trade in. To conclude, each student has his or her own ideal version of a high school experience; thus, it is up to the student to live in the moment in order to obtain that vision.