Here it is, the last article I will be writing before I graduate and officially end my high school career. It’s a bittersweet moment and I thought I should enlighten readers of The Talon one last time before my departure. After four long years and two different schools, I’ve learned many things that are unrelated to academics, although those things are helpful too, the life lessons I’ve experienced are worth much more. 

• It’s okay to be alone.

During my freshman year, prior to my Academic Magnet induction, I attended West Ashley High School which was a fright, to say the least. I tried to make the best of it, but I was simply not ~vibing~ with any aspect of that school. My freshman year helped me realize that it’s okay to be alone. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really have any good friends at West Ashley and that’s okay because I really didn’t like anyone there. There are so many types of people in the world, and it’s unrealistic to expect to have great relationships with people you share zero interests with. 

• The best results often come from putting yourself in uncomfortable situations.

Days after my sophomore year began, I transferred to the one and only Academic Magnet High School which was easily the scariest and most rewarding decision I’ve made. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I almost stayed at West Ashley simply because I was “comfortable” and afraid of moving schools. Forever thankful that never happened. The first days at Magnet were terrifying, I felt like I had been thrown to the wolves. Luckily enough my sister, who has since graduated, knew the lovely Lillian O and introduced me to her and the rest of the squad. I met my best friends within the first days of starting a new school, and it’s only gotten better since then. This is one of the reasons I have started adopting the phrase “Don’t think, just do” into my daily life, because acting without overthinking the next step and allowing yourself to go through the process is a beautiful thing and really enhances life. 

• You make time for the people you actually care about.

I’m not going to lie, I am a huge fan of personal time, and most times I prefer to hang out by myself than with other people. However, I’ve learned throughout high school that I will put aside time in my day just to see the people, but it’s only with the relationships I value the most. There’s only so much time in a day, so why not spend it with people that make you feel good. If you find yourself avoiding hanging out with people outside of school, you probably don’t like them as much as you think you do (sorry). Effort means everything, so when you’re putting in the time to see people you care about, you know it’s real. 

• Life sucks.

You heard me. Life sucks and so many unpredictable and bad things will happen to you and the people you love, but what can you really do about it. Crying and being upset with the universe can only last so long. You have to accept all the negative things that happen in your life and know that one day things will be better and you will feel happier. Happiness is fleeting so it’s unrealistic to think you won’t experience lows, but those are temporary too. Knowing those bad moments are temporary is slightly comforting, especially during high school because it seems like there are lots of “bad moments.”

• The quality of your character is not determined by your academic achievements.

This may catch some of you by surprise, but your grades and academic success aren’t the only things in life that matter. By no means am I discouraging anyone to stop doing well in school, but there comes a point when school can be a real downer on your mental health. Personal well-being is far more important than having an A in my opinion, because your mental state is with you forever whereas your high school GPA is only valid up until senior year. All I can say is that if you currently struggle with balancing your school work and happiness, loosen up and start doing things you actually enjoy (don’t completely forget about school though).

High school is one hell of a character development journey and there are so many little things you pick up on and learn through those 4 years it’s impossible to list. These were the few lessons I recall learning, and some of the most important. They helped me get then and they continue to help me now. High school is a weird stage in life but it’s so important in setting up how you want the rest of your life to go. It’s messy and there are lots of things to learn in life which makes every incident a learning curve. It’s fun waiting for the next ball to drop and I hope you all understand where I am coming from in this article. Best of luck with your remaining time at Academic Magnet. XOXO