How My First Semester Of High School Already Changed Me

By Cecilia Stewart

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I am a freshman here at Powell High and it’s changed my life unexpectedly. I thought it was just gonna be another school year, but it’s better. Here we have more freedom and are treated with a little bit more respect which has taught me in most cases, if you give respect you get it. I've also learned that no one here cares about how you dress or what you look like and you’ll always have friends to back you up and be there whenever you need it. Especially the upperclassmen.

I have one junior friend and he is always there to show me the way of the school and to just be chill and you’ll get through the day. That doesn't mean there isn't any drama, there are always kids that don’t grow up and mature as quickly as others. It's ok to be slower, but it shouldn't take all four years of high school to figure out you need to act older than you really are.

I also realized that the most important thing to do at school is not play around. Get things done so you don't have to do them later. If you're not in high school yet and you're worried about not fitting in or not being able to be yourself, you have no need to worry because I found the people I belong with on the first day of school just by being myself and showing my true colors. If you feel like you don’t have friends here, trust me you’ll be fine.

My mom, a lady who got out of high school 20+ years ago says “ High school changed me so much I wanted to do better in life and now I have a better job and have a better chance of earning money than working in a fast food restaurant and earning less money and only being able to live off ramen and a studio apartment which would still be above my pay grade.” My mom was one of the troublemaking kids who would fight people for the smallest things, skip class, smoke in the bathroom, stuff like that. The day she wanted to change her life choices she walked into school 3 hours late to take her GED and left an hour later. Somehow she didn’t fail because she knew in her heart that she could get past all the bad things stopping her from being better. She didn't get the best grade that would get her scholarships but it was enough to help the rest of her life

For the people still in school stay in school (meaning secondary school, college is a bonus but you don't need it). There is only a 25% chance that you will live a satisfied life after dropping out. Let high school change you in a good way. Don't let the negative parts of high school pull you away from what's right and what your goal is.