What High School is Really For by Samantha

What High School is Really For by Samantha - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

It is the beginning of August. The mailman just left the driveway and dropped a special letter off. On top of it said that it was from your high school. School was just a few weeks away from starting and this important letter contained your class schedule. This is probably a big deal because it is the first piece of actual high school anything you have received. But this is only the beginning of the next four years of your life. Like it or not, high school is here. Even though I am a junior, finally considered an "upper" classman, I remember my freshman year like it was yesterday. Of course I was nervous just like everyone else was, but looking back, there was no need to be nervous. It was just another first day of school. If I could give one piece of advice to my freshman self, or any other incoming freshman, it would be to really take time to learn about yourself and who you are.

While you should not only be concerned about yourself, it is a really great time to learn who you are; who you like; what you like to do. In grade school, it was all about learning and starting to develop your personality and maturity. At 13 and 14 your identity is nowhere near the potential that it will be in four years when you’re accepting your high school diploma. I don’t even know what that feels like yet, but I know I have come out of my shell and learned more about myself thanks to high school. A key part to this is for you not to judge others. If you don’t want people pointing out every flaw about yourself, don’t do it back. It makes you feel like a better person and other people will respect you for it.

Doing this will allow you to be happy in life and see the good in people. Why wouldn’t you want this to be part of who you are? This is definitely something valuable I learned about myself. Another practice high school can teach and I would give advice to do is to try new activities. This helps you learn your likes and dislikes. And also the people you want to continue to associate with in your life. Growing up, kids learn that they are recognized by the people they hang around. Joining extra-curricular activities will help you discover who you are and what kind of values you have or want to have. The best advice by far is that you should take the time in high school to learn about yourself. It will just make life that much easier.