This month’s theme for 10 on the 10th with Jen at The Bolin Bunch is 10 Things You Wish You Could Tell Your High School Self. Today is the 9th, but I have a book review to post tomorrow, so I have to post this one today! I didn’t have an easy time in high school and it wasn’t my favorite time in my life, so these things will probably reflect that!
[one]
The number one thing I would tell my high school self is that it gets better! I didn’t really find my place until college, and where high school was hard, college was better.
[two]
Consider wearing makeup. My mom didn’t really approve of high schoolers wearing makeup, but I could have done well with enhancing my young features! I think learning to use makeup at that age would have helped me know how to wear it now! On that note, I really should have grown out my bangs too.
This picture is blurry, but it’s from my senior prom. Just a little makeup. My hair was straightened and the bangs don’t look awful, but when they were curly, they were pretty awkward.
[three]
Break up with him! All through high school I dated a boy who was semi-emotionally abusive. I couldn’t imagine ending it with him but there were so many times when I should have. Like when he invited a girl who was mean to me to his senior prom instead of me. Or when he encouraged me to do things my parents didn’t want me to.
[four]
Parents know things. I didn’t want to take advice from or listen to my parents, but I should have.
[five]
Don’t isolate your school friends. Freshman year I had a small but good group of friends. Somehow we grew apart over the years, likely because of the aforementioned boy and my new friends from my youth group. My out of school friends were fine, but I spent way more time with the ones who were at school with me daily!
[six]
Do more of what you love. In high school I took electives in journalism, creative writing, and photography, and I enjoyed both. I connected with Judaism by being in my youth group. I likely could have been happier if I concentrated on my interests more.
[seven]
Take hard classes. The smartest things I did in high school was taking two math classes senior year so that I could take calculus and taking AP English. I retook calculus in college and was able to get an A in the class, and the AP class helped me to place out of freshman English in college.
In college, you may end up with student loans. You can refinance student loans here.
[eight]
It’s ok to do your own thing. I had a bit of my own sense of style and I am happy about that.
[nine]
Try to make the most of it. It would be nice if I had more happy memories from that place I spent so much time!
[ten]
Respect your teachers. I have never really been great with authority figures and it would have been helpful to work on that problem back in high school!
What is something you would tell your high school self?
