The Perks of Being in High School by Maranda

The Perks of Being in High School by Maranda - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

In high school, we learn much more than just academics. We learn life experiences, how to build and maintain relationships, and how to not put our selfishness before others. We start to mold and create ourselves into the kind of person that we want to strive to be for the rest of our lives. I feel that the book every high school student should read is The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it touches on each of these topics in a way that relates with the teenage heart and mind.

In this book, the main character Charlie, is very quiet and defined as a “wallflower”. A wallflower is not rare in high school, in fact there are many, and they are judged as being odd or weird. As is the case with Charlie, wallflowers mainly hold many things to themselves and in turn, keep to themselves. This book being read by all high school students could allow them to take a second before judging someone and realize that there is more to them than what is on the surface. This could lead to a rise of high school students that are more understanding and open, who instead of making fun of others, try to help and understand them.

The book also deals with the relationships and importance of friendships. Charlie, who went through some traumatic events, met two new friends in his high school. They broadened his experiences and made him feel like he belonged within this group. That feeling of friendship and belonging is something that everyone wants to feel and is something that could help someone who feels alone, become better. With this book, readers could take it upon themselves to realize that building relationships could change their and others lives in more than just the high school horizon.

One of the greatest parts of this novel is the lesson that everything gets better. In high school, at many times it feels as if something is terribly wrong, it’s the end of the world. As with Charlie, who had to deal with past traumatic experiences and the toughness of high school, he went through a breakdown but with the help of his family and friends, got professional help. Many high school students experience this as well but are not as lucky as to get help. Instead they hold it in and it builds up and can lead to detrimental effects such as depression or even suicide. This book could help a high school student who is holding in their troubles to realize that they are not alone and things will get better with time, as it did with myself.

In conclusion, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book that would relate with teenagers and help them in their high school experience and life after. It is a book that would help them to stop and think before they judge, understand the importance of building relationships, and know that they are not alone and everything will get better in the end.