High school is something we’ve all gone through (or still are going through it). Because of this fact, all of us have our advice we would like to pass on to students still in high school. As someone who graduated high school a few years ago, I can relate to those still there. Also, since I’ve graduated a few years ago, I have the necessary distance that allows me to view it with an objective eye. Here is my advice to high school students.
Treat high school like its a job. I read an excellent article written by Paul Graham, and in it he mentions treating high school like its a job. I couldn’t agree with him more.
What does it mean to treat high school like its a job?
What it means is that you need to treat it as only one aspect of your life. It’s not the end-all, be-all. It’s only one aspect of your life. Take it seriously, do what’s required by your school at all times, whether that be homework, studying, etc. Show up on time to classes, be prepared, and do everything else that is needed. Use high school to help you learn valuable life skills, and I don’t mean math, English, history, etc (although those are extremely important). Use high school to teach you things like discipline, responsibility, punctuality. Those skills are much more important, because through utilizing them you can learn in the areas you’re having difficulty with.
On the flip side…
The flip side of treating high school like a job is that we have time for other things, just like we do in the work world. So what do we do with that time? Simple: spend that time investing in yourself.
What does it mean to “invest in [my]self?”
Investing in yourself is something I believe in 110% It means you find out what your likes, dislikes, and interests are. It means you read a bunch of different books, participate in different sports, learn about things that you want to learn about. Ultimately, it means you figure out who you are as a person. This is something that will pay dividends in your life in thousands and thousands of different ways.
In conclusion…
While high school is important, it isn’t everything. Neither is college. Treat high school like it’s a job, and use your spare time to invest in yourself. That is the advice I wish someone would have given me when I was in high school.
