Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice you'd share with younger students? by Courtney

Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice you'd share with younger students? by Courtney - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

When you start high school you are full of wonder and high hopes of perfect grades without trying. You are thinking about how many friends you can make and how many clubs you can join. You are shy and scared of upper class men. You are lost and lonely and are trying to fit in.
Time is your friend. Time is your foe. Time is the most important factor in school and you have to realize how to utilize time to your advantage. Calendar. Plan. Schedule. Every minute that goes by is a minute that you will never get to repeat again in your life. How do you want to spend it? If I had it to do over again I would immediately find and join a study group. I would take a study skills class and /or read everything I could find online on how to succeed in high school. I would research online for memorization and other tips. I would make friends with the kids that had the knowledge I sought to gain. I would focus less on me and my worries and more on school and grades. I would walk away from girl drama like the plague instead of spending countless sleepless nights worrying about what the “Mean Girls” were saying and thinking about me. I spent so much time trying to fit in and now I’ll probably never see those girls again. Put studying first above all other pursuits. They say, “Oh to be young again!” I say, “Its never too late to try to develop good habits!” Now that I am going to go to college I am going to try not to make the same mistakes twice! Time is my ally. Make time your best friend!