As a high school senior, I’m counting down the days until graduation day. Sadly, it has coming way faster than I could ever want it to.  I am that one senior who actually loves everything about high school.  Sure, I have those days where I just want to scream and cry and be anywhere other than school, but then again, who doesn’t? I’m writing this to you, underclassmen, so that you realize how important it is to stop and enjoy the ride on your journey through high school because believe it or not, it will be all over with before you even know it.  Don’t stress high school away because one day, you will sit back and realize that high school was probably some of the best years of your life, and you’ll regret not doing some of the things you had the opportunity to do in high school, that you won’t have when you’re older. So here are my five little pieces of advice to you,

1. GO TO THAT FOOTBALL GAME

Friday night football is something I  would always look forward to year around. I’ve experienced it both being a hyped-up, dressed=with-the-theme fan sitting in the student section, and also on the sidelines as a student athletic trainer, and I am here to tell you that no matter where you are at a ballgame, you don’t want to miss out, especially while you’re a student because one day you’ll wish you would’ve been that hyped-up kid in the student section looking forward to not having a voice come Saturday, or being the student trainer and having a different but special bond with each football player.

2.  DRESS UP FOR SPIRIT WEEK

Spirit week is by far my favorite thing to participate in as a high school student.  Spirit week is the one week out of the year when you get to goof off and just have fun.  It baffles me how some students will not participate because they don’t want to be “embarrassed.” Let me just go on the record and say that you can get embarrassed by anything if you allow yourself to; you just need to learn to not care what other people think, step right outside of your comfort zone, and have some fun with it. Besides, when you get your best friends to dress up for spirit week as well, there’s no stopping any of you and your school spirit. Better do it while you can; you’ll wish you had when you’re older.

3. YOUR GPA WILL NOT DEFINE WHO YOU ARE –  BALANCE IS KEY

While schoolwork is and should be a priority, it should not define who you are as a person. You can only truly grow as a person by venturing outside of your studies to spend time with friends, experience life, and by taking time to yourself, as well. Do the things you enjoy. Spend time with the people you love. Step outside of your comfort zone. Go out on a weeknight to eat with your friends. Enjoy all of the ballgames and late milkshake runs. Your mental well-being and happiness are more important than your GPA. While your GPA matters, the memories you make now will live long past your GPA. So be sure to experience and cherish it as much as you can while you still can.

4. LISTEN TO YOUR MOM AND DAD

I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear. “Come on mom, you just don’t understand and you never will.” Believe me, I’ve been there, more times than I can even count. BUT, you’ll soon realize how right your parents actually are when they give you advice and try to help you. Your parents were once high school students and in the exact same shoes you are in right now.   And the advice that your parents are giving you, they themselves learned from experience while in high school.  I’m sure your parents would’ve loved to have known then what they are trying to tell us now.  So don’t get mad and argue; you will learn in the long run that what they are telling you now will help you so much more than you ever thought it would in the future.

5. SLOW DOWN, DON’T WISH HIGH SCHOOL AWAY, ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Before you know it, you’ll be in my shoes wondering where the time went as you stare at the graduation gown hanging on your bedroom door, preparing to walk across that football field toward a new, unfamiliar beginning. Don’t rush it.  I know that it  sucks sometimes.  I know the stress is high sometimes, and you want to just quit and give up. But don’t. The journey through high school is one you will never get back.  Cherish the time you have with all of your friends right now, because before you know it, you’ll be hugging goodbye before you all go your separate ways to college.  You’ll look back one day and realize these were the best days of your life, so don’t rush  it, have fun, and enjoy the journey as Gaffney Indian.