Dear Margaret,

I'm writing to you as your future graduated self. You are about to enter the great big world of high school. Yeah, yeah; it sounds intimidating, but in all honesty, its not. High school is a time for becoming who you really are, growing as an individual, and gaining the knowledge to succeed in the world. Don't get caught up in the drama.

You will most likely walk into freshman year reeking of the stench of terror. The biggest problem with that: upperclassmen can smell you from a mile away. Being confident (but not cocky) your first few days of high school will help you through the next four years. Walking in the halls with a sense of purpose, and not being afraid of everyone around you is super important. And don't forget that it is okay to ask your teachers for help. Teachers are there to help you succeed; they put pressure on you because they care. Whether you have a question about school or need help in your personal life, they will try their hardest to help you.

Freshman year you have most likely have met a bunch of people, but by sophomore year you might not talk to half of them again. Once the 9th grade introductory classes are over and people begin to really personalize their schedules, you will probably fall into a group that is more closely tied with your values and interests. At least 1 of these people will be your best friend that you are taking pictures with at graduation. The others will have been weeded out by junior year, but I'll get to that later.

Sophomore year is the year to really get involved in extracurriculars. Freshman year you can feel too overwhelmed, and you want to be able to try something out so if you don't like it you can have another couple years to try something else. The band, athletics, drama, Spanish club, volunteering, National Honor Society - these are all good things to tryout during your 10th grade year.

Now junior year was the year I found to be the most stressful. This is when you really have to start thinking about what you want to do with the rest of your life. Narrowing down what you want to study, and a few colleges you would be interested in studying at. Having a few options during junior year makes applying during your senior year, much easier. Although, between looking for colleges, trying to keep that 4.0 GPA, and all of your extracurriculars, it looks like there is barely time for a social life. I promise you that school is important, but a healthy social life is important too. It is super easy to get stressed out, but remember that you have to do things that make you happy and your mental health is a huge component of success.

Senior year is when the fun really begins. There is not only a huge responsibility of applying to schools, but there is the responsibility of not giving into "senioritis." You will want to take all these easy classes, and not do homework, and hang out with your friends all the time, and not go to school... NO! School during senior year is so important! Okay, you can miss a few days here and there like a normal high school student, but if you miss too many you get in a habit, and then you may risk not graduating because of truancy. Or not graduating because you've slacked off in your classes. Yes, you can still have fun and have friends and enjoy your senior year in high school because it's the only one you'll get, but you still need to take school seriously. Oh, and don't forget to apply for scholarships: Anything to help you be "less broke" during your college years will be greatly appreciated in the future.

Basically, know that you are smart, driven, and talented, and if you do high school right, you will be better prepared for the future.

Love,

Yourself