High School is the greatest and worst four years of your life. Half the kids are some sort of academic prodigies or something, and the other half are all slackers. The entire time every teacher is pushing College and a Job down your throat, and insisting that "You've got it easy right now. The real world won't take these excuses!". How in the world are you expected to survive this absolute purgatory!? You feel yourself slipping into a limbo. The days drag on, day after day, the same boring routine. Wake up too early for your liking, show up at what is effectively a mass Dragon's Keep, and then spend the next 8 hours getting lectured. It's stressful. Most, if not all, the students around you have begun to experience anxiety and depression. It's a sweaty, nasty pit of hormones and drama. So, I repeat. How exactly are you expected to make it out alive!? Well, I've only been out of the game for a couple years. So I can pretty accurately give you a few good tips.

1) Get your homework in on time.

I know, I know. You've heard this a thousand times before from parents, teachers, friends, family and more. Almost every article, post and otherwise says that. You don't wanna do it, and I get it. But believe me, you'll regret not doing it later. The school is sneaky and always changing. Right when you think you can scrape by with that 70 without doing any homework, the school will pull the rug from under your feet. Surprise! Formatives are now 50% of your grade! (It's probably not that bad yet, but you get my point.)

2) Everyone is annoying. Get over it.

Underclassmen think they rule the school and are too big for their britches. Upperclassmen are pushy and rude. Nobody is a ray of sunshine 24/7, so don't expect them to be. They want to be here just as much as you do, and some even less. If you can manage to mostly ignore the snarky and clueless, you might manage to make it to class in a decent mood.

3) ALWAYS bring pads/tampons/chocolate.

This tip is not just for ladies. I'm talking to guys too. Girls can't control their time of the month, and sometimes we're caught off guard without the proper equipment. If everyone learns to get over being stupidly squeamish about feminine products, then life will be much easier for both males and females. Make sure to keep a small stash in the small pouch of your backpack and pass one to any girl who might need it. They will be so thankful. (This also goes for jackets. Don't ask. Just hand it over. Don't question why it's around her waist even though she's shivering. Just hand her chocolate and hold her.)

4) Sorry to break it to you, but they don't love you.

It's High School! The time of dating and getting to test the limits of relationships! It's exciting and new and scary, but it's all you wanna do. Go for it! Enjoy! But keep in mind that you will more than likely not find "The One" in High School. I'm not saying that they don't care about you. They probably do. But that does not mean it's going to be forever.

5) Find a trusted adult for all purposes.

This probably should've been my first tip, but I decided to start off a little light-hearted. In all seriousness, though, the first thing you should do upon entering the new year is to find and adult you can always turn to about anything. Your friends mean well, and they probably know the situation better than any adult will, but they aren't always best for advice. "But all adults say the same thing!" Yes, I know. Sometimes you need to hear that, though. Believe it or not, they sometimes know what they're talking about. If not a full adult, then maybe someone who's in their early to mid 20's.

6) Find balance in your life.

Over working yourself can make you sick, and cause you unnecessary stress. However, under working yourself can be just as bad. You need to find an easy medium between work and play. If you just crack down and get your stuff done, you'll have more time to chill and relax. Try setting a timer. No, seriously! Do nothing but serious work for 15 minutes, then relax for 5. Repeat that until your work is done, and you'll be surprised how fast it goes by! (This can go for literally any work you have to get done. Not just homework.)

7) Safety first.

Seat belts, protection, etc. Make sure to keep yourself and others safe. Avoid harmful substances and habits. It may seem cool to drink or smoke or do drugs, but it's not good for you. Your grades will drop, you'll stop caring, and then you'll end up failing. Plus, it's very unattractive. Who really wants to date someone who smells like cigarettes or a bar? I surely don't.

8) Put together a survival kit.

I'm not talking an army knife and the sorts. I mean a daily life survival kit. Include common things like tampons, mechanical pencils, erasers, Tylenol, a granola bar, Kleenex, deodorant etc. You may not need it all the time, but it can come in handy when you find yourself up a creek.

9) It's a bad day, not a bad life. Things get better.

I know the feeling. Life has kicked you down one too many times. Things are bleak. Despite your best efforts, nothing is going right, and you want it all to end. Only the bad memories seem to stick anymore. But there's a little promise I'm going to make you. And you can hold me to this. It. Gets. Better. Those bullies that won't leave you alone, will get a bit of karma. Your grades that can't seem to keep passing, will shoot up like a rocket with all the extra studying you're doing. A good chunk of success if confidence. If you tell yourself you can't, then you won't. But if you give it your all, you'll do amazing. Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you're still among the stars.

10) Buck up and tell them!

That person you like so much? You know, the one with the soft hair and pretty eyes. They'll never know you like them unless you say something. Bite back your nerves and say it! You'll feel better afterwards. Even if they reject you, at least you managed to get past the "What if" of never saying anything. Now you know. And who knows, maybe it turns out for the better, and you find a really great relationship! You won't know unless you try.

That's basically all I got. High School can be really awesome if you give it a chance to be. Just behave, do your work, and show respect. It's not being a teacher's pet. (Though, that does tend to help at times.) I wish you all luck out there in the terrifying fire pit that is the public school system! I know you'll all do great things one day.