Relax by Erica

Relax by Erica - March 2019 Scholarship Essay

To these incoming Freshmen, all I would tell them is to relax. When I was their age, I came into high school a bundle of nerves, wound tight like a spring. I was terrified of everything. Terrified of being late, being absent, getting a grade lower than an A, everything. To be fair I had just come from a Elementary-Middle School that didn't even have letter grades, but in hindsight I still worried over nothing.

I would tell these kids that while high school should not be considered the best time of their lives by default, it certainly can be. It's a time to be young. It's a time to be a child, in every way that implies. It's a time to make mistakes and fix them. It's a time to appreciate your parents. I would tell these kids to have fun. These kids will get enough pressure put on them by their teachers, parents, advisors, etcetera and etcetera. They don't need more from me.

I would show them the pretty parts of campus where one should spend their lunch and, if they're lucky, their free periods. I would tell these kids to appreciate when everything is quiet. I'd tell these kids to make friends. As many as they want. And when I was done telling them things I'd just ask them what THEY want out of high school. And I'd tell them to go and get it no matter what.

In the end, high school kids are that– kids. And I would encourage them to enjoy that. I would encourage them to enjoy everything.