Welcome to the next four years of your life. High school is often compared to prison or hell (maybe that's just from us upperclassmen) but it's also said to be the "best four years of your life" or "the place where you truly find yourself." The transition from middle school to high school is a large one but I promise you that you will survive, even if sometimes you feel like giving up. High school is the place where you will be tested, pushed to the absolute limit of breaking... not just academically but mentally, and emotionally as well.

Academically there is a lot to juggle, you have the ACT, SAT, and the PSAT to look forward to (and by that I mean run and scream.) You are offered more advanced classes, ones that interest you and aren't particularly required to graduate, but with freedom comes responsibility. Your grades in middle school counted, but only for the report card you got at the end of the year. Now you're in the Big Leagues, everything you do from here on out sticks with you through the rest of your high school career, and then carries over to college on this big thing called a "Transcript." Scary stuff huh?

Mentally, you will want to give up no matter how strong you are there is going to be a point where you don't think that all of this is worth it. It is I promise. You're at the bottom of the chain again and you'll probably feel very overwhelmed with the prospect of having to change how you do things. The teachers no longer care that you were sick the night before or that your "dog ate your homework," they just care that you did the work. It's your turn now. Show them what you can do.

Emotionally, all the stereotypes will come into play. You will come face to face with the evil girls, the boys who play you (not that girls aren't equally as bad,) the athletes, the bullies, and last but not least you will find out who your friends are. But guess what? Who cares. Let anyone think what they want about, if you know it isn't true then that's all that matters. Girls, you will run into problems with other girls no matter what. Why? They will dislike you because they want to be you, and in the famous words of Taylor Swift, "Haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate." As far as dating goes, high school is one small pond full of teenage fish and if you don't find the love of your life, it's okay, there's so much more out there. Use this time to develop lifelong friendships instead of worrying about falling for the "perfect" person. Athletes usually try their best to fit in, in the movies you see the jocks following suit and failing classes because they don't want to seem "nerdy," well this is not a movie. Academics will most likely get you further so try your hardest and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. In most schools, bullying isn't your typical "give me your lunch money" scenarios but it is an issue. You will have to fight like hell not to let it bother you, but I promise you can do it, think of the bigger picture. Friends come and go... in most cases the friends that you have going into high school won't be the same ones you leave with but that is okay. You win some you lose some.

Step out of your comfort zone, apply yourself, and just be the best YOU that YOU can be. Lastly, don't blink because it'll be over before you know it.

Best Wishes,

A Very Nostalgic Senior