Dear Rising Freshmen by I'Jaiah

Dear Rising Freshmen by I'Jaiah - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

High school. You never even begin to believe you’d even get to that point in your life any sooner, and now you are finally there. It’s a whole different ball game then you expect it to be. These are supposed to be the best years of your lives. Make memories, gain friendships, join sports and clubs, and make your mark. I want you to be able to look back on the day of graduation and be proud of the things you did, accomplishments you achieved, and life lessons you learned as each year came towards that anticipated final farewell into the big world. You can have fun, but be mindful of your grades, and keep away from anything and anyone that you know will get you in trouble and push you ten steps further away from receiving your diploma.

There are plenty of things you can do to make your four years enjoyable, but first things first. Watch your grades. Freshman year is the most important year of them all, and your grades will determine what school you would be able to be accepted into. Don’t fool around and goof off when you need to be paying attention. There is a time and place for laughing and joking, but when inside the classroom all eyes and ears on the instructor and the directions you need to be listening to and following, take any graded assignment as if it’s your final exam, strive to do better then you know you can do, keep organized, and take responsibility for yourself and your actions.

Now for the fun part. Be as involved with your school as much as you can. There are endless possibilities of clubs you can partake in and sports teams you can join. It’s great for making friends, capturing memories, and showing those other schools how awesome your school is. Let’s not forget homecoming, ring dance (junior prom), and senior prom. You only get one senior prom. So what if you don’t have a date. You better get fancy and show everyone you’re the life of the party, and you know how to have fun whether alone, or with a date. High school isn’t all that bad. You have to make those memories unforgettable, and make sure you leave knowing that you did your absolute best, and if you could do it all over again with no question you would.

High school really is your golden years. There are so many opportunities to do things. Just keep your focus, don’t fall off track. Keep your grades as your #1 priority, and don’t do anything that will have severe consequences in the end. Avoid the drama, and make your last years as a teenager count. You only get to do this one time. Make this time your one and only time. I promise it will be worth it in the end.