Unfortunately, I still have two more years of high school left but fortunately, I’ve learned a lot already. I just finished my sophomore year and it couldn’t have been more boring or dramatic. Even though it pretty much sucked, it was necessary for me to begin learning more about life and growing. So here are some tips on some of the many things I learned from my sophomore year.

1. Not Everyone Has to Like You

In the beginning of high school, I thought that I needed to get everyone to like me. I wanted to be just like the “popular people” and have a ton of friends. I continued to question what I needed to do in order to be liked. Several times I considered changing just to make more people like me and want to be my “friend.” Unfortunately, I didn’t begin to realize that everything I was doing was completely the opposite of the right way to make friends until the end of the year. The good news is that I can go into junior year with this knowledge.

2. Don’t Change For Other People

That brings me to my next topic, changing for others. Like I said, I was very tempted to change for others. The sad part is that I wanted to change for the “friends” that I already had. They made me feel like I wasn't good enough and I wanted to make them happy and not myself. I am so thankful that I recognized the mistake I was so close to making before I did. I was so brainwashed that I actually wanted to change to please others, not myself or God. I thought that being liked by the small-minded people in my school was more important than making God and the people that love me satisfied. No matter what, never ever change who you are for anybody but yourself.

3. It’s Okay To Stand Up For Yourself

There’s obviously a lot of peer pressure in high school. The amount of times I’ve heard, “It’s not that big of a deal” or “Who cares, I’m just having fun while I’m young,” I couldn’t even tell you. I’m not sure if it’s just my generation or what, but it seems like a lot of kids no longer have any boundaries. I’ve always said no to drugs, drinking and sex. But when I got to high school those three things became a part of the daily conversation. I feel like a lot of students feel as though those things aren’t a big deal anymore. They talk about them as if it’s just something fun to do and nothing bad will happen. I have learned that it is okay to say no, and it’s okay to not want to engage in those things or agree with them. No matter where you are, you’re going to get bashed for your beliefs. So I’ve decided that it’s okay for me to stand up for what I believe in. I know not everyone is going to agree with me, and that's totally okay.

4. Your Relationship With Jesus Is The Most Important

In high school we go through so many relationships. Whether it be boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends or acquaintances; you will have a relationship with someone. No matter what kind you’re in, there’s always the possibility of being let down or hurt. Things like that really sting and take time to heal. That's why your friendship with Jesus will always be number one. His love for you will never end and he will never let you down. He legitimately wants the best for you and nothing less. And you can tell him anything and he will always be there to listen, uninterrupted.

5. Family Won’t Let You Down

I’ve been ditched countless times and it sucks! I’ve learned to make the best out of it and I used it to my advantage. I choose to spend time with my family instead of thinking about how sucky it is that I was dumped. Just like all other families, mine has it’s ups and downs but they will always be there for me and I love them to death. I honestly love hanging out with my family more than my friends sometimes! I feel like these are the people that genuinely care about me and want to be there for me. I am so very appreciative for the wonderful people in my life and they have made such an impact on me.

I could seriously go on and on about the many lessons I learned from this past year, but I won’t. I am still young and I truly enjoy these learning experiences. I couldn’t ask for more, I am incredibly blessed with the life I have been given.