First off, I want to offer a disclaimer. I did not have an absolutely stellar, perfect high school experience. I do know what it’s like to sit alone at lunch, fail a class, or not get asked to a dance. Understand that for most individuals, these experiences are typical. Regardless of how intelligent, sociable, gifted, or hard working you are, you will face the difficulties of maturation in your own time. However, for what it was worth, I really enjoyed high school. I made many memories, friends, and connections that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I finish my four year HS journey less than a month, so I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned so you can drastically improve your high school experience, regardless of how much of it you have left. This is the blog post I wish I had as a freshman. For best results, reread this guide multiple times with a focus on practical application.
How to choose a good high school to go to
This single choice will drastically affect your high school experience. Carefully weigh your preferences in terms of how many class options you would like have available, how many clubs you want to be able to join, and how many friend circles you are willing to be a part of. Your inclinations will determine whether or not you go to a larger public school, or a smaller private or charter school. I would recommend a larger public school, as they can offer more academic rigor as well as club and sport team support.
Where you will want to work
For starters, you’re going to want to work a great job so you can afford to date, hangout with friends, and join clubs. This presents some difficulties, such as getting hired in the first place. This is where it’s important to have a history of community service and extra curricular activity, as well as a good GPA. Present the aforementioned in an appealing way, and you have a resume; even with no real prior work experience, this will get you into an entry level job. It is of the greatest importance to pursue an entry level job related to or in the field you want to work in. Do this to garner experience and develop a resume. If you for whatever reason cannot acquire a job like I previously described, or you don’t know the field you want to work in, work in any of the following places: movie theaters, golf courses (caddy), pizza shops (delivery), or in retail outlets (warehouse). All of these options can provide fun and interesting work experiences as well as a solid peer group of high schoolers. Generally, avoid the food industry, and check sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to ensure that you apply only to top notch workplaces.
How to choose a career path
Choosing a career path isn’t as difficult as so many people make it out to be. First, you must sift through the career prospects you currently have with these three filters that each must meet: it must add value to society, must add value to you (monetary), and must captivate your passions. Note that the amount of value that you add to society is in direct proportion to the amount of monetary value society will add to you. Therefore, you must add enough value to society so that in return, you can live comfortably and meet your financial goals. If more than one career path made it through those three filters, then it is imperative to first, gain some level of experience in the fields you are considering, as well as speak to people who are successful in that niche. The best way to do this in high school is through clubs; join all of the ones that pique your interest. Through this practice, I learned that the medical field was not for me. A visit to the cadaver lab was enough to help me realize that, and I wouldn’t have had that experience if I wasn’t in HOSA. I also came to the realization that I belong in business with the help of DECA. Some of the most memorable experiences I’ve had so far have come out of these clubs, and I regret not joining them earlier.
How to build your resume the right way
As much as possible, seek relevant experience through jobs, certifications, or independent ventures. If you are interested in the medical field, get your CNA or MA as early as you can. If you are interested in business, get a marketing certificate or start a marketing business; do likewise for any field you harbor interests for. After this your priority is to develop character through service, club participation, and awards. Tackle any award opportunities you are given with tenacity; they are rare and few people collect them; even one or two can pull you ahead of the rest of the herd enough to finally get that scholarship, award, or internship. To further boost your chances of success, join clubs that present opportunities for service and growth. Note that when companies hire, they seek a culture and personality fit after job and skills fit; if you are well developed in both areas they will hire you. With competitive entry level jobs, they will want to know that you are an intelligent producer who is active in his/her community; show them that you are.
How to the richest person in your high school
How you spend your saved money is crucial to your financial health. I would HIGHLY recommend budgeting your income. The one decision to budget will place you financially ahead of almost all high schoolers and even adults. I have made the mistake of not budgeting, and I have paid the price. Just a month ago, I did a financial examination of my senior and junior year, and came to the realization that I had spent more than $3,500 on dating. I had attended every guys choice dance, as well as plenty of expensive double dates with friends on the side. Don’t make the same mistake I did. If you want to date, date cheap or don’t date at all. It’s not worth it, I promise. The richest kids in highschool (by their own merits and not their parents) didn’t go on lavish dates, wear designer clothes, or eat out often; they saved their money to invest, or for major purchases (car, college, mission). But by far, the wealthiest kids I’ve met have been the business owners at DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Ideally, have a job and a side hustle, and funnel the paycheck from your job into your business as funding.
How to get your friends right
The best way to get good friends, is to take hard classes and join lots of clubs freshman year; then, acquaint yourself with the most intelligent, capable, and articulate people in your classes and clubs. I can’t emphasize how important it is to fully immerse yourself in the clubs your school offers. I’ve learned so much about my interests and gained so many friends through my avid participation in clubs such as HOSA and DECA. Despite the fact that you will meet many exceptional individuals in high school, it is imperative that you choose your friends with great care; you will adopt many of their habits and characteristics as you engage with them. If you are an introvert and have a hard time speaking to people, condition yourself to enjoy speaking more by raising your hand more in class, and sharing your opinion. If needed, take it slowly and start with the goal of two comments per class. Be sure to make the class aware of your controversial opinions, and then defend them proudly. You want to establish yourself as a maverick: an intelligent and independent power player. Force yourself at the beginning of the year to be aggressively outgoing; it is significantly easier to follow a legacy than to blaze off the path you’ve set for yourself, especially when it’s socially reinforced. And never eat lunch alone. If needed, introduce yourself to a whole table, regardless of how awkward it may seem. After all, the best friendships are been forged over food. Lunch is also a good time to catch up with classmates you’ve connected to.
How to nail relationships and dating
This is perhaps the most complicated and confusing avenue of high school to navigate, and I must clarify that I am no expert; this is just advice that I wish I had earlier. Don’t feel pressured to go to every school dance. If you are attracted to someone who hasn’t been asked and you have the money, then it’s in your best interest to go. If you don’t have the money or a person you are interested in asking then don’t go; this is why I didn’t attend senior prom. If you decide to take on a relationship after a dance or a date, understand that it will be only temporary; the chances of you graduating, attending the same college at the same time, keeping in touch, and remaining loyal to and interested in each other are slim to none. The number of individuals you are romantically compatible with in high school won’t be nearly as great as the same number in college (or so I’ve heard). Like we previously covered, don’t spend a lot of money, regardless of the peer pressure to; the best dates I’ve been on have been cheap and creative. Also, it’s important to date a lot of people so that you can refine your preferences, and become comfortable around people you find attractive. And always shoot your shot. The pain of regret will hurt so much more than the temporary awkwardness of rejection; it’s easier to hear no than to wonder, “What if?”.
How to ace every test
The short answer is to study consistently. But quite often, studying like everyone else only yields mediocre results. One example of this I encountered was on the country test for Africa in world civ. Most students worked countless hours, tirelessly trying to jam the bizarre sounding countries into their rote memory. Earlier in the year I had learned about a technique called mnemonics, which supposedly, when applied, yielded stellar results. It was true, I was able to memorize all 54 countries in less than half an hour. The lesson I learned from this was simple: experiment. Often the unconventional methods offer far more promising results, all with less input. In addition to this, one tactic won’t work effectively for everyone, even the tips I offer here. You’ll want to cross reference this with your parents, teachers, and successful peer’s advice. Tactics like mnemonics were a big relief to me, as personally I struggle with consistent study. The one productivity tip that helped me overcome my inconsistency was to schedule time to study, and never deviate from it. This will ensure you accumulate many hours of effective study. I also compiled a study music folder of enjoyable music that I only listen to when I’m studying; this provides a simple incentive to study. Additionally, I utilize certain tracks repeatedly to spur creative writing.
How to prepare for college
By far, the best way to prepare for college is to maintain a high GPA and ACT. Focus on keeping your GPA above 3.8-3.9 at all costs; this in combination with a exceptional ACT score will position you to score high on the scholarship index every college offers. When done correctly, college almost everywhere is completely free. Most freshmen have no idea how important their GPA is, and I was the same way. I got bad grades freshman year and spent the rest of high school trying my best to compensate for them. The other key element here is your ACT score; it is absolutely crucial to start early and take a lot of tests. After 5-6 tests, and plenty of study in between, you should be set up with a good score (32+). Studying for the ACT is like being in a room full of loud crickets in the dark, where the crickets are the mistakes you make. Since the ACT offers the same set of underlying problems every time, once you teach yourself how to navigate and solve a complex problem, you are effectively crushing one cricket. This means that anyone is capable of killing all the crickets and getting a perfect ACT score, regardless of how “smart” they are. However, the hard part isn’t killing the cricket, it’s finding it. The best way to do this is to take dozens of legitimate AP brand practice tests and grade yourself, all the while learning how to not make the same mistake again (this is done by taking comprehensive notes on your mistakes and how to fix them). Crush all the crickets and you have a perfect ACT score. Now that you have an exceptional ACT score and GPA, it’s time to apply to college. Determine whether you want to go to college for free or if you want to go to a prestigious college. I would recommend only going to instate colleges, as out of state is significantly more expensive. Apply to lots of places (even though it costs money) and dedicate time to write application essays. Once you’ve applied, work on getting scholarships. Do this as early as possible so that you can claim local sponsorships, as even with a stellar ACT and GPA it is unlikely you will be granted national scholarships. Once again, dedicate special time for this.
Most importantly, how to not be forgotten
I find myself often being to risk averse, I regret not taking as many “risks” as I could have. That being said,the people who are forgotten after high school are the ones who caved to the pressure to fit in, never taking the risk of breaking the norm. The most memorable people I know are the ones who proudly stand out. Think about risk in this manner: Say you get to play a special copy of GTA 5, where the only rules are that you had to make sure you stayed alive, didn’t break the law or harm others. There’s no real consequences and you can do whatever entertains and fulfills you. I would think that most would dare to take the risks they are craving to take in the real world, but don’t due to the fear of negative consequences. Eventually they would reach a stage in the video game where they were not only more successful, but also more true to themselves than they were in the reality. So what if I told you that your real life and GTA aren’t that different? In real life there’s prison and the law, but that’s where the differences end. Risk doesn’t really exist as long as you stay alive (and take care of your family if you have one) and avoid legal trouble. So take risks; make the joke, ask the girl out, and say what you think. Leave a lasting impression, even if it’s a bad one, as anything beats being forgotten. As Steve Jobs said, “We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”