5 Tips to Help You Survive High School

High school can be a jungle - four years of homework and peer pressure - not always easy to deal with. However, here are a few tips that can help you survive and make the best of high school.

1. Be True to You. Sounds simple, right? Yet, so many people change to try to fit in with the cool kids or the popular crowd. Do not change yourself to fit in with the cool kids. If they don't like you for who you really are, and don't want to be friends with you for you, it's not worth being friends with them if you have to change. Staying true to you, you will find friends who accept you for who you are. You might hear this all the time, but it is true. It is not worth it. Being true to yourself will make you happier than changing to fit in with the popular crowd. I stayed true to myself during high school, I was happy, and I made some life-long friends.

2. Do your schoolwork, homework, study, etc. It is very important. Colleges will look at all of your high school years, not just your senior year. You may hear this all the time too, but it is important to do well in school. You learn things that will stick with you. You learn things that could help you out in college. Do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Talk to your teacher; they are always more than willing to help - that is what they are there for, to help you learn - they will even help you with non-school related things. Also, it helps to get to know your teacher, you will be more comfortable talking to them, and asking for help. The better your teachers know you, the more they can help you out in the future, like writing recommendations for college applications or jobs. You can always form a study group with students in your class. It is a good way to get to know others and you it's a good way to study - others might understand some of the material better than you might and can help you understand it better. If you feel you can handle the workload of advanced placement and/or honors classes, take them; they look good on college applications, plus it is a good challenge. I took honors and advanced placement courses in high school, and I did well. The classes were smaller and I got to know my teachers well. I also had a bunch of study groups for a bunch of different classes - I met new people and it helped me understand the material better. I earned good grades and I was accepted into my top choice college. It pays off to do your schoolwork.

3. Take courses you are interested in. Of course, there will be required classes to take, but there should be a handful of elective classes too. Pick something you like, something you are interested in. It could be fun. And it might be a nice break from your other academics. You'll actually be interested in it, so your mind won't wonder so easily. And if you really like it, you might do well in that class, which can help your GPA. Or pick something you think seems interesting but you do not know much about. It will open your eyes up to other things besides the standard academic classes you will need to take. I took a bunch of different electives that I really enjoyed. I took an intro to piano class, since I have always wanted to learn to play piano. It was cool, I learned the basics of piano, and I still remember them today. Also, I took a ceramics class, which was cool for me, since I like art. It was a relaxing class, no real worries about grades, as long as you did the project. It was a nice break from regular academic classes.

4. Join extra-curricular activities or sports. Once again, they are another great way to meet new people and they look good on college applications. Also, they give you a chance to volunteer and get involved with things you like. They can earn you scholarships for college too. It is an opportunity to meet people who have similar interests as you - you can be yourself. The activities keep you busy, and can provide some great opportunities, like field trips. I was involved in many activities in high school. I was always busy. I was in academic clubs, volunteering clubs, and band. Extra-curricular activities opened a lot of opportunities for me. I got to travel to Florida, England, and Puerto Rico, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Special Olympics, help with a blood drive, and teach the basics of a foreign language to a grade school kids.

5. Try something new. It's always good to try something new, whether it is a sport, club, or other activity. I picked up a new instrument going into high school - bagpipes. I played them at school, and in the community. It was a new experience and it was interesting to learn all about them. It also opened up numerous opportunities for me that I would never have had a chance to do, if I had not decided to learn the bagpipes. It introduced me to a new group of friends. I had opportunities to play at weddings, parties and memorials. I competed with a band and I did solo competitions too. I traveled to different places and learned about a different culture. I learned about things I never knew existed. It was one of the best choices I have ever made. Now, I always try to do something new. You never know what kind of opportunities it will open up for you and what kind of experiences you'll have.

High school is a lot of fun, especially if you make the best of it.