High School is a high-pressure situation. There’s the stress of school work, friend drama, and getting into college, as well as another sort of pressure that weighs on teenagers. It can feel as though everyone who has finished high school is always wishing to return.

There’s an unspoken pressure to make High School “the best time of your life” because once it’s over, it’s over. So many high school graduates seem to be repeating the same mantra: don’t wish away high school, because you’ll regret it when it’s over.

I don’t think this is necessarily true. Just because some people miss their high school days, does not mean you have to. If you don't enjoy high school, being repeatedly told that high school should be the best time of your life feels a little upsetting. There are so many things I wish someone had told me in high school, besides the fact that you shouldn't be wishing it away.

1. Life doesn’t stop after high school.

It’s not as if the second you're handed your diploma, the fun and easy going part of your life ends. For a lot of people, the fun part actually starts. After high school often comes college, which is totally different than high school, but in a lot of really good ways.

2. High School grades don’t matter (that much).

Ok, obviously it’s important to get good grades if you want to get into a good college (even though there’s a lot of other things that colleges look at). But it is also totally okay to fail a test. I wish I had known this when I stayed up till sunrise trying to cram for a test. Sometimes it’s better to just accept the fate of doing poorly, in order to take care of your mental health rather than your GPA.

3. Prom is not going to be the best night of your life.

Everyone seems to hype up the magic of prom night. Movies glamorize it, your parents reminisce about it, you dream about it. In all honesty, it probably isn’t going to be the greatest night ever.And why should it be? Personally, I hope my greatest night is not at a school dance that served sketchy looking chicken when I’m seventeen.

4. But you should still go to Prom.

Go whether or not you have a date. It’s fun to dress up and dance with friends. You might not make lifelong, incredibly impacting memories, but if your dreading it, it’s probably not going to be as bad as you think, and you can take cute pictures. This goes for a lot of activities in high school. It may seem boring, but getting involved in school activities usually winds up being better than previously expected.

5. Don’t fear the future.

It’s ok to be excited about the next steps in your life. A lot of people will stress the importance of taking in every moment and treasuring every last second you have with your high school friends, but don’t feel guilty for looking forward to things. And don’t be afraid of what to come. Leaving high school is scary because it’s scary to go out into the unfamiliar. But change is a part of life, and accepting change will only benefit you.