By: Alexa Grill
I remember crying the night before the first day of freshman year with a highlighted map of the school in my hands just wondering how I would be able to find all of my classes in this new building. Although I doubted that I would ever be able to navigate my way through the halls of Hills East, I was finally able to conquer the unthinkable after just a few short weeks. For freshman year me, this was a huge victory. Now, senior year me is laughing at my previous self as these halls have become second nature over the course of these past four years. Little did I know back then that my experiences in these halls would be so influential in my life today.
Some of the biggest lessons that I have learned throughout my high school career all sound cliche, but all have definitely proven to be true and worthwhile. Here are just a few of the lessons I’ve learned:
- Always try your hardest in everything you do. High school is a long journey and can get stressful, but at the end of the day, you determine your own fate! As a senior reflecting on her years as a high school student, I feel a sense of pride knowing that all of my hard work and dedication over the last four years has gotten me to where I am today.
- Challenge yourself in and out of school. Without pushing your boundaries, you will never know your fullest potential.
- Get enough sleep. This is so important. Take it from someone who came down with pneumonia freshman year from sleep deprivation… getting that extra hour of sleep is way more beneficial than staying up super late to study or finish homework.
- Don’t stress the small things. There are much bigger problems in the world, and remember that everything happens for a reason.
- Make memories with your friends. Right now, high school is a reality, but in a few years, all you will have left of it is the memories.
- Stay true to yourself.
As I continue on to the next phase of my life, I am positive that I will bring these valuable lessons with me. I can only hope that I will continue to learn meaningful life lessons at Lehigh University in the midst of the same obstacle that struck me four years ago… finding my classes.
Photo courtesy of Alexa Grill
