Support

            Do not underestimate the power of help, friends, and general support. This statement leads to another, which is to be nice and kind to everyone. Trust me, you will need their help at least once in high school. Whether it's asking for directions to a classroom, sending pictures of a reading packet, or help with a difficult writing piece, other people you are well acquainted enough with come in handy. I've had several times where I was in a rough patch in life, and my friends helped me get through it. How does one go around making acquaintances and friends, you may ask? You could start by learning the person's name and saying hello occasionally. You may be surprised how quickly the two of you start asking each other questions and get to know each other. One day you or the other person may have a question the other can answer. Returning favors is also a great way to strengthen relationships, or maybe doing something nice to anticipate future times where you will need that person's assistance. For example, last Friday at eleven P.M. I wrote part of a debate case for a friend who was in a bit of a rut. I haven't quite cashed in on that favor yet but I will shortly ;). Today two of my friends asked me to send pictures of a reading packet for history that they had forgotten. Without friends most of my grade would not survive high school, including me. Make it easier on yourself and ask for help occasionally.

Prioritizing

           Speaking about prioritizing, yesterday I was unable to blog because I had track practice and then a robotics build session from five to eight. The next few weeks are going to be hectic for me because it is the robotics build season. We only have a few weeks to put together a robot for the competition we are entered in, so every week on Wednesday and Thursday I'm not going to have an afternoon. That's how it is in high school. It is almost impossible to not overbook yourself. Let's be honest here, the main reason for most students (at least my friends and I) to do a lot of activities is so they can get into a good college. Being smart is not good enough anymore, or at least that's what they say. This spring I am traveling to France to visit a friend, and one of my friends asked me to do a debate camp at Harvard that conflicted with my trip to France. She asked me how going to France would get me accepted to college. I just looked at her like really? I am going to France because I've never been before, and I live for new experiences. I am also trying to learn basic french before I go to France. Knowing two languages could be very helpful when applying to colleges (I take Spanish in school). There is a time to prioritize fun and a time to prioritize school. I tend to be either one way or the other. In my free time I am either binge watching Netflix for three hours straight, or I'm working on a project for six hours. School is a whole other prioritizing issue. Robotics is my main issue. I missed a few build sessions a week ago because I was sick, so I have to make up the time (six hours). It so happens that debate is on the same day as robotics, so basically I have to make a decision. Annoy my debate partner, and make partnerships complicated, or push off making up the build hours and annoy my coach. In the end it came down to which activity was most reasonable for me. Debating would mean I would have to find time in my non-existent free time to prepare a case. In the end I decided I'll go to robotics. Life as a teenager can be difficult, so many decisions so little time. The truth is no one is perfect or can achieve everything, but focus can be a gift in high school. Once you've found your passion (it may take a few years) focus as hard as you can on what's going to get you to your goal.

Gossip

          Sometimes it's hard to resist inclining forward to listen in on a conversation about school gossip. High schoolers find this need to be in the know. My theory is that in order to engage in conversation with someone high schoolers feel like they need to know all the latest rumors circulating a school. That or they may attract people by always knowing the latest gossip. Someone may say that being informed is a good thing, and I would agree in most cases but this one. Gossip is not important information. Gossip is often false or an exaggeration. Gossip really won't improve your understanding of something instead it will leave you with a craving. A craving for more, until it is almost addicting. Gossip can hurt people more than the edge of a blade. Even if a piece of gossip is true it still is vile and unimportant. I hate gossip, yet I'm subject to its lure myself. I try not to spread gossip, but I will ask someone about something if they know about it. I mean if we didn't have gossip what would we talk about? Current events, politics, and scientific studies? Would that really be a bad thing? Think about how much gossip you know. What if you could replace that with important information. I've had engaging conversations with people that weren't about gossip. It is possible. Start with simple things. Just once try to hold a piece of gossip down, and ask yourself if you tell someone else this will it hurt someone or help someone? Try to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to others talking about gossip just once a day. By not being wrapped up in other's lives you may discover new things about your own.

Friends

           High school can be the best time to form new friendships. People can be more open to breaking through their typical friend groups. You also have opportunities to meet people from different grade levels. This brings me to my first point which is the more you do the better your chances are of meeting someone new and interesting. This year I tried cross country for the first time. Previously I had played soccer for eight years. The program at my school continually got worse over the years. Whether it was the coach or the players I disliked something. Cross country was great, and I met many very nice upperclassmen. I also did different things to meet very different people. For example the people I met from doing cross country, and debate are different from the people I met doing robotics. Having a wide range of friends keeps things interesting. If I spend too much time with  one group of friends I begin to tire, but then I can go hang out with another different group of friends.  Another thing with friends is to be weary of trying to hard just for attention. I see it all the time in my school. There is a group of friends with one student who is slightly more popular than the rest. He or she may exploit that to their favor, because the rest of the students will act like they live to serve that one student. I hate that, and I feel like if one student steps out of line and defies the standards of the group they are ostracized. If you are in that situation in high school, try to get out. You have a lot of opportunities to meet new and perhaps better people. Don't be scared to be on your own, because it won't be for long. If you feel like you are constantly worrying about friendship maybe you need to meet some new people.

Prejudice

          Preconceived opinions and assumptions without proper knowledge or experience, that's what prejudice is. Unfortunately prejudice is not just an issue in high school. It is something present even in the adult world. Even with all the resources we have today, people still don't bother to inform themselves before formulating an opinion. Speaking globally I find that teenagers can be much more understanding and cultured. This is because (in my school at least) there is a huge movement for global education, specifically religious studies. For example, in my history class we have been studying Muslim culture, and I can definitely say that I know much more about Islam than both of my parents. High schooler's however can be very prejudice when it comes to their fellow classmates. For instance, popular students may think that there is no one else who is as entertaining as them (I beg to differ). Certain races may be prejudice towards minorities. I hate how some politicians exploit the knowledge gap of certain people. I also hate how people accept without question sexism. I've seen a few standup comedians be extremely sexist. They try and say that they're just being honest, or that are not sexist, but it is just not acceptable. Toys can be very sexist. I realized later in my life that my parents never got legos for my sister and I. My brother on the other hand has enough legos to build a castle. Girls should like dolls and avoid toy guns and building sets. Boys can't dress up or like princesses. It is ridiculous. One comedian I heard kept talking about how parents shouldn't hug male children because it will make them gay. Why do we have to be like that. A guy doesn't have to be a man to be a good guy. Just because he has feelings and cares doesn't mean he isn't a man. Why do we have these standards. They are oppressing and make people prejudice. I think it's because we are scared, but this is a changing world. It is time we adapt.

Survival

         Everyone in high school has at least one week where they are so bogged down with activities, tests, and projects that they can barely handle it all. This describes nearly every week of my life. This week for example I started with the same cold I had a week ago, a huge Spanish, science, math, and intro to science research midterm, along with a debate tournament on the weekend. I was very eager for this week to be over. My parents weren't much help. My dad went on a work trip to Florida. Thanks dad! So while he was chilling in the sun my mom's car wouldn't start and we had to call the car service company twice to have the battery fixed. My sister decided this week was a good week to have a complete meltdown at school, so on Thursday my mom got a call from my sister's teacher. I got tested for mono this week, and no I did not get mono from kissing anyone. I had to get blood drawn which I hate. The entire time I am clenching my teeth together, and the nurse keeps asking me if I'm alright. She finishes filling the first tube and then she takes out another one and sticks it in my arm. I'm sitting there just shaking my head....really? I had the debate tournament today. I would say it was great if that wasn't a complete lie which is something I did to myself last night. At around nine P.M. my debate partner starts texting me and asks how I'm feeling. Fine besides my hundred degree temperature and the fact that my throat is like sandpaper. This week is the state's tournament so I say I'll go. This morning on the bus I feel like I'm going to throw up. Every time I stood up I felt like I was going to puke. In a debate round you have cross fires (which are like questioning periods). Some judges make you stand up for cross fires....that was not good. So I'm looking at our opponents as they ask me questions (which are more like statements and at the end they just try to make me look bad). I'm standing there barely keeping it together, and I look at the other person and I think in my head are you really questioning me right now? Legitimately that was how sick and beaten down I was by the end of this week. I am so glad it is done. I am most likely going to sleep for the next month to try and recover. I usually say to people don't overwork yourself, but there are those times where you have to pull through. Surviving is what we do best, and we were all born with the abilities to survive. Through tough times just remember there is light at the end of the tunnel even if you can't see it yet.

The ups and downs

            Yay! I have finished my last midterm test of my freshman year. I feel like a new more mature person. The sun even seems to be shining brighter. The reality hits and I remember the upcoming debate tournament. My heart sinks, and I dip back down once again. School is full of ups and downs. In my opinion it's mostly downs, but those few ups make it almost worth it. That occasionally good grade, or successful project can really make you forget about all the bad times. No one is happy all the time or always receives the best grade possible. You can use the same theory when it comes to geniuses. Although they way know a lot about math or science, they can have very poor social skills or even forget simple things like where they live. Our brains have a limit. It's just how we choose to max out that limit that makes us who we are. From my own experience people who seem to be the most frequently happy is the people who are kind to others. It seems strange, but I think that by being kind to others and caring about their lives and how they are feeling they can treasure in other's success. If someone else did well they feel truly happy for them and then happy for themselves. One particular good example, of the ups and downs in high school, happened to me just a couple hours ago. I received my science midterm grade, and it was okay but not great. At first when I checked my grade I was terrified because I thought that my grade for the semester was the grade I got on the test (which would have meant that the test brought my grade down a good ten points). I raged to my friend for a while about the test until she told me about a girl who got a worst grade than me, but her average was still higher than mine. That's when I did a double check on my grade portal and noticed that I was looking at the grade I got on the test rather than my average grade (which had only gone down a point ;) ). So over the past couple of hours I've felt like it was the end of the world, annoyed, and then embarrassed and then completely relieved. Oh well...I made it through midterms mostly alive. Although today I did have to get blood drawn to be tested for mono (not for the reasons you may think). Other than that I'm fine (ignore the bags under my eyes). It's been a difficult, annoying, rewarding, fulfilling, and mostly tiring week, full of ups and downs ;).