Learning to be oneself in high school is one of the most difficult challenges a student will face. Today’s teenager is very complex. First, there are the pressures to fit a certain mold, and although your parents went through the same pressures in their day, they obviously blocked it out of memory, because it seems most parents cannot understand the stress it brings every day. Many teens are growing up highly scheduled, juggling school, clubs and sports, and with very involved parents – overly involved parents – Yes I said it OVERLY INVOLVED – and yes I’ll admit it – I’m one of them.
Teens today are trying to find themselves like all the generations before. We are the product of our parents and family, in which many are fortunate and have wonderful family lives while some aren’t so lucky. Parents and family members generally have your best interest in mind when it comes to school. They want to you to succeed and push, remind, support and pester you to do well.
The one important detail that gets clouded in high school is finding your path. Your path is exactly that – YOURS – not your parents, not your best friends’– YOURS! Take classes that you are interested in, join clubs that you are interested in.
High school IS the time to explore interests and use your talents and traits to propel you to greatness. There are many opportunities to get involved. Most young people want to stay with their familiar group of friends, but I urge you to branch out and join groups that have similar interests. When you are surrounded by people who have similar passions (theater, athletics, government, music, academics) you propel one other toward greatness. For example, you may be the only one in your group of friends that really understand government and politics – so join the political club. Surrounding yourself with other students with a passion for the same subject, it will provide you a valuable rich experience. Many students are interested in music – so take guitar in school as an elective, you are now surrounded by students who are also interested in music.
So the message here is join clubs, ask questions, seek out electives to spark interests, take classes and keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities because they are there right next to you. Now although that was a simple suggestion, it is one teenagers find the most difficult. Teens like to do things in groups, as there is comfort in surrounding yourself by familiar faces. Imagine if you kept the same circle of friends from the 2nd grade and never branched out of that circle. Allow yourself to open that circle and explore new friendships, new interests, new hobbies, new experiences.
When students graduate high school, the ONE thing almost every student says is… “I should have done more”, “I wish I would have joined that club”, “been more involved”, “tried more”, more, more, more, more…..YOU WILL NEVER HEAR GRADUATING STUDENTS SAY, “I wish I would have done LESS” or “I WISH I WAS LESS INVOLVED IN SCHOOL”. Be Open to the NEW, and Create .your own path!
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