Every year when we reunite with relatives or hangout with upperclassmen we hear “How’s school going?” “It goes so fast.” “Enjoy it while you can.” “Make the most out of it.” I have been told these things on countless occasions. But how do we actually ‘enjoy’ or ‘make the most of’ high school? I have five tips based off of my experiences:

Wear whatever you want

I spent numerous mornings going through my closet, debating what to wear. A relatable question to many is: Do I dress cute? Athletic? Sweats? Sometimes when I was feeling fancy I would pick out a cute outfit the night before. Other days I would throw on sweats and leggings. But what if I already wore sweats for two days this week, is that too much? Never. You are sitting in an old building for eight hours. Nobody cares or remembers what you wear, just be yourself and be comfortable.

Have spirit

When only a couple of people decide to dress up for spirit week and football games, it is lame. A close friend of mine also graduating with me this year, Jillian Pohoryles, always had so much spirit. She went all out and stood out when nobody else had spirit. I always imagined what a stadium full of Jillians would be like: hype, fun and spirited. 

Get involved but only to the extent of doing things that you enjoy

I did things in high school just for college, blind to how the admissions process even works. It is important to be involved in two to three clubs and possibly a sports team but do not stress about being in the most clubs, or having the most positions. Worry about college when the time comes, and the other parts that combine with the activities to form your application.

Don’t force your friend group

You don’t need a huge group of friends, just one or two close friends is OK. There’s a stereotype that everyone needs to have these huge friend groups who all just seem to love each other so much. The truth is, in a couple of years there are huge groups that won’t be together anymore. However it’s important to note that I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a large friend group. I am just calling out the pressure people have on them to force this huge group. One huge group or three friends are both great, but do not force anything based on societal pressure.

Use a planner

Once you join clubs and play sports, and possibly get a job, life will be busy. It’s easier said than done to just remember everything in your head. One of the worst feelings is when you commit to meetings or events but you actually have a sports practice that day that you can’t miss or else you won’t play. On top of all that, balancing seven classes is not an easy task. Writing out your tasks will not only help you remember them in your head even more, but it will also help you visualize your busy schedule.

A bonus tip I have is to join newspaper. Writing for Common Sense the past three years has taught me new writing skills, how to cover students’ lives, how to get important messages across our platform to students, parents and teachers. I’ve made new friends from newspapers and have built new bonds with students who I would have never come across if it weren’t for Common Sense.