High School Experience - Page Text ContentMy High School Experience My overall high school experience during freshmen year I would rate as a B plus. With all seriousness, I had a very good year. Before I started at Belison National School, I was very nervous about a variety of things. Including grades, friends, teachers, and the complete school experience. There was a lot leaning on my first year. As I do worry about many situations, it was a naturally difficult transition leaving middle school. I did not have the best eighth grade year and I was ready for a new start. Though my grades were the best ever, strait A pluses, I needed a new group of friends. This is where I excelled the most in high school. At Belison, I was able to be involved with many new people. I met a plentiful amount of friends. This was a huge change for the better. Having many friends makes any experience a better one. One of the biggest changes for me that helped make high school a better environment is meeting my boyfriend. He fully helped me understand my life as a freshman and as being older; he was able to help get my year off to a great start! Grade wise, I did do better in middle school, for I have more of a life in high school. Now schoolwork is harder, comes with more responsibility, and pressure. But I am still able to succeed. Through my social life, my freshmen year would definitely be an A, with grades it comes down to a B plus. Luckily for me I have three more years to figure high school out. For me, everything is a learning experience and this was just one better road to be on.5: Chapter 2 Darby's he High school Dropout- This janitor is always jealous. He gets upset that he has to clean up after kids who are younger than him. He always thinks he is the soupier, though only one or two years older than the seniors. Threatens to quit daily. 2.The One with a Learning Disability- The nicest out of all the janitors and would never be fired. He tries his best; the teachers respect him for working. His best job isnt that good but he is always there to try to help. He likes working with children. 3.The Ex-Clothes Model- An older janitor. He wears the tightest clothes. He always wishes he could still have his old job, though he made the same amount of money. This janitor can be seen walking with a strut, imagining he is still on the runway and flinging a bag of trash around his shoulder. Thinks that he wears the uniform better than the rest. 4.The Divorced One- This janitor no longer has a family and excludes himself from all human contact. He works the most hours since he has no one to go home to. His biggest problem: hates any teenage couple that thinks they are in love. 5.The Immigrant- Traditionally works in the foreign language hallway. Likes to wear the sombreros from the Spanish rooms. He usually befriends any student with a foreign accent. He is always on the verge of getting fired because he cannot understand his instructions.My First Class Schedule | Period Level Course Credit Teacher Term Room Schedule A Accelerated World History 4 Cullinane 09-10 259 1-8 B Honors Environmental Science 4 Tinschert 09-10 111 1-8 C Accelerated English 9 4 Hoover 09-10 216 1-8 D Honors Algebra II & Trigonometry 4 Crowley 09-10 102 1-8 E Accelerated Spanish II 4 Armstrong 09-10 165 1-8 F Non-leveled Wellness/ Study 2/1 Griffin/ Emerson 09-10/ SI Gym A 1, 3, 5, 7/ 2, 4, 6, 8 G Non- leveled Intro to Guitar/ Study 2 /0 Mianulli 09-10 / SII Band 1, 3, 5, 7/ 2, 4, 6, 87: Chapter 3 Getting Used to my Schedule | A Period- History is a great class. This is one of my easier classes and I strongly suggest Mr. Cullinane. His room is cool to look at because he was in the military; he has many figures placed throughout. His teaching method consists of watching movies, doing some reading for homework then taking a test. Repeat. There is a midterm and a final but he helps guide you through both. This is the first teacher that actually helped me to understand what happened during World War I. B Period- Science is an Honors class so it is a bit difficult. The teacher is a cool guy though he has a personal hatred against girls. He likes it if you come into his class knowing a lot and knowing to do things on your own, without him telling you to. He runs his class pretty open and doesn't mind if you talk. Just don't cross the line, since it is an honors class. C Period- English is one of my two favorite classes. We have a lot of fun in this class and some of my closest friends are in it. My teacher, Mrs. Hoover, is excellent! She does a great job of teaching us things that ordinarily would be boring to learn. My favorite unit was actual Shakespeare because it was the first time I understood his writing. This is a very interactive class.8: Period D- Math is an okay class. I love learning math but don't have many friends in that class. Mrs. Crowley seems nice but is a little frightening. You are expected to learn everything very quickly and come in with a perfect learning attitude. Everyone in that class is either brilliant or a genius, I don't fit in to well. This is my hardest course. Period E- Spanish is my other favorite class! We do almost nothing yet still manage to learn. I am one of four girls in that class and I love all the guys there. This is my only class with my boyfriend and where I met him. Our accelerated class moves slower than the college prep class, yet we still get accelerated credit. We have a lot of fun in this class and love to laugh. Mrs. Armstrong is a fun person. Period F odd- In wellness, we don't do much. It is kind of boring and you don't expel much physical energy. Wellness is a class for guys. Girls do not participate; it just gives us time to talk. The best unit in this class is badminton or volleyball. Both are fun and you do it in groups of two. Mrs. Griffin is nice and gives everyone a chance to try. | Chapter 3 Getting Used to my Schedule (Cont.)9: Chapter 3 Getting Used to my Schedule (Cont.) | Period F even- Study with Mr. Emerson is a class everyone would love to avoid but every freshman has to take it. You learn how to study and Mr. E loves to give talks. The best part about this class is he treats you to pizza parties and candy. If your grades are good enough, he lets you leave his room after semester one. Mr. E overall is a really good person and my first teacher I could talk to and feel comfortable around. Period G odd- In guitar, the teacher is Mrs. Mianulli. She lets you do anything and quizzes you on your time schedule. If you want to learn how to play guitar and get some extra credits, this is the class for you. Period G even- Open study is everyones favorite class! This period is totally open to you and gives you time to do what you want. If you want to sit and talk with your friends, play with your IPod, or get work done, it is totally fine. All you need to do is just show up.10: Chapter 4 My First Week | Friends When I started high school I did not really have any friends, unlike Scott. I joined volleyball. This was great for me! All the girls on the team were so nice and helped introduce me to people so I could see a familiar face in the hallway. Just like Scott could see his friends. Classes My first set of classes where all honors accept for Spanish accelerated, which the teacher wanted me to do honors. This was very difficult for me and I was scared. To make it easier the guidance counselor and my parents moved me down to only two honors classes. This was easier and more manageable, though like Scott I still have to stay up late to do a good job on and finish everything. Teachers I love all of my teachers. In middle school some teachers chose favorites which made me upset. Here, teachers are just here to teach. They don't mess around with favorites. Also, teachers understand that every student does have a harder work load adjusting to high school and are lenient in the beginning of the year.11: Trouble The only trouble I had during the first week of high school was with my locker. We had to share lockers and the girl I shared with was mean to me. Our locker was broken and I went to the office one day to get us a new locker and I even bought us a lock. When I told her I got us a new locker, that was not broken, she ditched me and stayed with her other friend in the broken locker. This made me scared about what was to come in high school with friends. Since I am a girl I was never picked on by upperclassmen like Scott was. They only laughed at me when I was running to get to my class, in the wrong direction. Confusion When I changed the level of two of my classes, I continuously was marked absent in my pre-existing class. The reason for this is I did forget to give guidance the form back before I changed classes. They yelled at me and this made me frightened. Also, like Scott I got lost, a lot! I thought I would never be able to find anything. Finally, after over a week of wandering in circles, I began to find my way. I learned, like Scott, only to ask teachers for directions. Events During the first week of school, the only event was a fire drill. This is not comparable to anything in Scotts life.12: Appearance For the first day of school, I wore a navy Abercrombie and Fitch short pleaded skirt. On top, I wore a white, half button down, and a tight shirt from Hollister, with a light blue lace Abercrombie and Fitch tank top underneath. I needed the perfect outfit on the first day to show people what my style was. Unlike Scott, I decided to bring a bag lunch. I thought people would make fun of me if I bought a lunch and I did not know how to go through the lunch line yet. Lunch/ Breaks/ Before and After School Lunches were the hardest part. Every day the people in my lunch changed. This was hard for me because, in the beginning, I did not know whom to sit with. This was before I made any friends. Scotts lunches always had his original close group of friends. In study/ break, I sat by myself before I made friends. These things changed very quickly as soon as I met people. Surprises The only thing that surprised me in high school was how much I changed. I feel like I changed to be a better and more social/ cool person. I am happy with myself for this change. I hope that at the beginning of my year there was a boy like Scott idolizing me, like he idolized Julia. | Chapter 4 My First Week (Cont.)13: 1. Don't bring any type of condiment or dressing to lunch that smells (i.e. mustard, mayo, ketchup, etcetera). 2.Be ready for anything, even if that consists of the same person throwing up in two of your classes all in one day. 3.Give people a second chance. 4.If there is a class full of upper classmen boys, don't change your class, instead flirt them. ;) 5. Don't assume that every girl who has tight clothes is a slut or every guy who has low pants is a druggie. 6.If your parents give you sympathy about starting high school, use it to your advantage. 7. Don't be alarmed, only expect it, if you wear a short skirt/ low shirt and catch guys looking, and feel flattered. | Chapter 5 High School Survival Tips14: Chapter 6 Work Load | High school comes with many priorities. As a student, the most important thing to look out for is your homework. This becomes a very difficult and overwhelming situation if you do not know how to plan accordingly. As soon as you enter high school, you dive directly into a life lesson. Time management. This is a necessary skill in accomplishing a task. Finding how to balance your time is the key to success. A lot of your grade depends on what you do at home. If you make the decision to blow off homework, your grades will drop significantly. Low grades are the last item anyone needs at the bottom of their list during the first few weeks of high school. So to make sure you dont have to swim up from rock bottom, simply get it done when it is assigned. Do not ever put it off! That is the most important rule. Teachers will never stop giving you homework, tests to study for, projects, and more. It will all build up into an unstoppable pile, resulting in failing. Another thing that almost every teenage student has to watch out for, while keeping up with their schoolwork load, is his or her media. Between cell phones, Facebook, and IPods, it is easy to get distracted. This is a must not! If you just sit down and do your work it goes much faster than trying the entire night either putting it off or stretching it out. Following these simple and strait forward tips will bring you to complete high school workload success.15: Chapter 7 Friends | When entering high school, there are kids your age coming from all different backgrounds. As a freshman, about two thirds of you classmates are new to you and in this two thirds some may not even know anyone. This is a large range. What it comes down to is, everyone is in the same boat and everyone wants friends. If you start out with existing people, I suggest keeping these friends as safe friends. It is helpful to have a familiar smiling face when you enter a room that might seem scary to you. After you start to feel a little more comfortable, try branching out with new friends. Remember, pretty much everyone wants to have more friends so everyone is very accepting at this point. Go on and test the waters. After you start to find some people you would consider close friends, go for friends of friends. Smile at them in the halls, make small talk, and before you know you will be popular and have what you were nervous of never accomplishing. Let yourself be open and you will never be lonely.16: As a girl, I can say the dress code is a very hard dilemma to over take. There are a lot of rules in society to impress people by what you wear. People are chosen by their looks and not their inner beauty. This makes it difficult when it comes to what you can and cannot wear. Girls try their best to impress boys with the shortest skirts, lowest shirts, and tightest clothes. This is fine to do, unless you are breaking the dress code. Every school enforces different policies, some more strict than others. Entering high school can change how you dress in the morning. This can be a hard thing to get used to. But, in order to fit the dress code, going out of your comfort level (like wearing leggings under a to short skirt) may be necessary. Looking nice is still possible while following your school's rules. | Chapter 8 Dress Code17: Chapter 9 Activities | Starting high school is a challenge to most. One important piece to understand is to get involved in activities. Either a sport or a group will do. Both of these extra- curricular activities will help you make friends. When walking through the halls, it is always good to look up and notice someone else who shares something you love, a common passion. Not only does an activity help you make friends but it also helps you to get to know your school a little better. If you are ever lost in the halls, need advice, or just need a helping hand, ask one of your new upperclassmen teammates. Also, not only older students join these activities but freshmen too. This is an instant way to get close to a few extra classmates while also learning something new. I strongly suggest for all freshmen to join some sort of extra- curricular activity.18: 1.The Last Year Teacher- This teacher is in his/ her last year before retirement. He has been teaching for thirty plus years now and has his classroom down to a science. This teacher traditionally will try to be a little fiesty with the principle and always puts his needs before the children. Considering by this time the teacher is old, blind, deaf, and can barely control their class room, you never get much learning done. Always thinks that they have been the best teacher the school has had. 2.The First Year Teacher- This teacher is fun, young, and loving. S/he puts a lot of effort into making his class run perfect and smooth. He puts as much time as he possibly can into his students and will often buy them trinkets or pizza. Also, since this teacher is young, directly out of college, they do not have a life yet. Therefore, they spend ALL of their free time at the school. He comes into work as the school is first opening and leaves as it is closing. (This is a bonus if you need extra help, for they are always free.) By mid June, the fun spirit has gone from the students and starts the downfall. 3.The Student Teacher- One of the best teachers to have if you have a prankster class. This teacher has almost no authority and is still learning how to teach. S/he runs on no sleep since they are still taking classes at college. They try their best, but basically teach off an instruction manual. Their teaching style is very forced. Sometimes mistaken for the personality of a robot. They constantly drink coffee and make emergency calls on how to calm an out of control class. It is easy for a class to convince him to quit teaching. Very fragile at this point. | Chapter 10 Teacher Types19: 4.The Substitute Teacher/ Sub- There are many forms of substitute teachers but they all seem to fall under the same rules. The sub will come in late, on average about ten minuets after the students making the traditional excuse of I didn't know I had to sub today. S/he can be a variety of ages but most are young looking for extra money, not much older than seniors. Some subs are even classified as the hot young ones and comments can be heard such as Did you see his abs? At the end of the day, the sub writes a note for the teacher talking about the students behavior and collects the class work. This is always just a threat from the sub and a failed attempt to force the students to get work done. (Note- if you are young enough, switch names with your best friend, subs will never notice.) 5.The Slacker Teacher- This teacher is the most boring out of all the teachers and has almost no personality at all. His/ her teaching style consists of watching movies ALL THE TIME. That is it. Occasionally there will be a test or maybe if your lucky even a pop quiz. S/he will give you a review sheet and give you a test on it the next day. This class is always a very easy class and most students will bring other homework to do while watching the videos. The teacher can be sighted with his feet up on the desk reading a newspaper throughout the day and complaining on how much work they have to do.20: Chapter 11 Gonna Make It | During your first couple of weeks as a freshman many questions pass through your mind. Will I make friends? Will I find my way? How will I have time to sleep? But the greatest question ever on all freshmen minds is Will I make it? Now these first few days, weeks, even months will be the hardest you have ever experienced. There are so many new pieces to get used to and looking at June in September seems like decades away. All I can tell you is that you will make it. Your grades will turn around as you figure out how to study and manage time. You will make new friends, as you get more comfortable at your new school. The hallways, which have always seemed like the scariest and most forbidden place in high school, in a week, will be like the back of your hand. It may be hard to see when you first start, but remember, everyone is in the same boat. All freshmen want to have friends, get good grades, and survive their freshmen year. With a bit of self-confidence, you will make it through. | Ticket to Summer21: Chapter 12 Situations to Avoid: | 1.Any teacher any time who is at the point of explosion. What it comes down to is all teachers get stressed just like students do, but with a few occasional teachers, they bottle it all up and might just crack on you. Signs of this include popping wrist/ neck veins, bloodshot eyes, frizzy hair, and constant fidgeting. Now this teacher is never a bad person, usually even a nice person, just the week when they are building up to an explosion AVOID! 2.A group of hyper senior boys at lunch, and any other time during the day. Seniors are a very difficult problem to grasp being a freshman. They either seem like they have nothing better to do then poke fun at you or get revenge on you remembering when they were a freshman. Some seniors can be nice, but you will find this as you go. Make it a point to never talk to a hyper senior boy. Think of a football player for example; quarterback, last year playing for his team, looking for a scholarship. This is red flag, run away, and hide. Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry? 3.Students who have decided to resort to drugs or drinking. This is a bad situation. You should NEVER drink or do drugs. Neither make friends with the group who does nor hang out with them. If they are caught, you are there, even if you weren't doing anything, you will be blamed as well. This crowd of people can be seen skipping class, with puffy or red eyes, the smell of smoke or liquor, and the dead giveaway- the Goth apparel. If you ever see anyone in all black, chains, any type of netting, or trench coat, please run and do something better with your life.22: Chapter 13 Successes | Success. One word can change a lot about a person. Whether it is long term life success in making money or even short term goals like winning an award or doing well in high school. Sometimes success is brought by pressuring yourself, maybe pressure through your parents, or maybe even pressure for success to continue on your family legacy. Even on a downhill, keep on going, eventually you will come back up. Look for small successes throughout your day or month. Maybe you just got a good grade, got invited to a party, or anything else that could make your day better. Think back, the smaller successes build up to make a successful high school career. It is the small achievements that keep us going, bring up our hope and self esteem. If you can believe in yourself, then you have the power to make your small successes into larger ones. Get a good grade on a test? Dont forget about it; use it to your advantage such as a running for student body president. But what if you dont win? Learn a life lesson. Its funny how someone elses success brings pain. This saying is so true. It will hurt when your friend wins or gets a better grade on a test. This should just pressure you to succeed next time. Look back on your small successes, you will grow and gain.23: Chapter 14 Trying Things | When something new comes around the corner, try it! Average is fine but new is great! For anyone, there is a little fear, indecisiveness, and hesitance. If you are sure with yourself, chances of liking this new something are far greater. Afraid? About what? Ask yourself what you fear and think, Is this fear worth it? Is this fear convincing you to no longer try something new? If so, strongly consider changing it. Think about what you can do to help it. Are you indecisive or hesitant? Ask other peoples opinions about it. For example, ask your parents, to get an adult perspective, or your friends, someone who can see it through your eyes. These are both great people to help you make a decision. Last, but definitely not least, think of your own opinion. Is it worth it to try something new? After answering all of these questions, you can make a valid choice. In the mean time, happy trying something new!24: Chapter 15 Regrets | An eternity of time can be spent thinking of what you would've, shouldve, and could've done differently in only a week of time. Should you spend your life regretting? Or is it best to go out and change it? Sometimes you can't always change it, but during the next week of your life, there is time for self-improvement. It is part of human nature to wish that you did better. Starting every sentence of thought with if. If I had done this, maybe things would be better Thinking these types of things not only wastes your time on regrets but also brings down your self-esteem. The best way to handle any situation you come out of saying wouldve, could've, or shouldve is to improve on it next time and come through life with the least amount of regrets possible.25: Chapter 16 Accepting | In high school, you must understand that everyone is different. Everyone has a quirky side, a nice side, a mean side, and a fun side. But what makes someone really different from the next is not only their thumbprint but also their outlook on life. Maybe they dress differently, or even act differently, you just have to learn to look deeper into their personality. I am not saying go out and be friends with everyone, for some will be a negative influence on you, but at least give all of your classmates a chance. Find the people that will bring out the best in you even if their hair is oily or they have acne or braces. Do not learn to judge people by what they look like. Realize everyone has his or her differences but it takes a little more than a first glance to find a person's true sparkle.26: Chapter 17 Foods | 1. A chocolate or vanilla milkshake. No matter where you get this shake from, it will always be just a little bit too sweet. It tastes great at first but leaves you with a lead rock in your stomach when you're finished. Nothing is like the constant sweet and overbearing flavor stuck to your lips all day! 2. Anything jellied. The jelly coating or inside of any candy is always too sweet and too thick! It is reasonable to have about half of the candy (one or two bites at most) but more than that will leave you feeling sick! Most things that are jellied also have an outer chocolate or have chocolate somewhere with in. The combination of both is a sweet tooth mess. Word to the wise skip the jellied foods. 3. Candied Apples. Sure you can tell your parents that it is healthy, but listen to them when they tell you not to get it. An apple on a stick covered in caramel and more candies on top. Not only is it way too sweet but it's also a mess. With caramel everywhere and stuck to the roof of your mouth, you will be tasting the sticky overly sweet flavor all day.27: 4. Pure Fudge. This food is always delicious but it sits like a rock! If it is sweet to start with then it will not be sweet to end with. Stick to less than a quarter of a pound. This will limit how much you eat of it and keep you feeling happy by just getting half the sweetness. 5. Maple Sugar/ Maple Syrup. Pour, pour, pour, munch, munch, munch. Maple sugar and maple syrup are the sweetest out there! Do not douse your breakfast in it! This will only ruin the flavor with pure melty sugar sweetness. The candies are worse, if it is that sweet just eating it, the sweetness will drop strait into your teeth. Giving your cavities for the rest of your life! If you love it that much, ration your portions of the maple stuff and save it as a treat for sweets. | Candy Corn is also to sweet to eat!28: Chapter 18 Opinions | Everyone has an opinion. That includes you. Having an opinion is a fine item to hold; just you have to be careful with it. Opinions are the fastest way to start fights. This never ends up well. If it is a classroom discussion, you are allowed to take a stand and use your opinion. But, if your opinion is targeted towards someone else, you may want to keep inside. For example, if you say someone walking down the hall with a shirt you think is not all that attractive do not say, under any circumstance, Your shirt is ugly! This is hurtful and will instantly turn others against you for being mean. Sure you can just say you were being honest, but its really not worth it. Remember this, think before you talk. Your opinion may be helpful, but it can also be hurtful. Ask yourself, If someone told me this, would I be upset? If your answer is a yes, than dont say it. Be careful how you use your opinions.29: Life is full of drama. Try to not be the one to cause it, be involved in it, talk about it, or have anything to do with drama. The problem here is that is impossible. Some way or another you will get yourself dragged up into an unnecessary situation of drama. Rumors will be spread and your life will be a mess for probably no more than a week. That is if you can stop it. The key with drama is it will happen but its not what/ how it happens, its how fast it goes away. Going under the radar and taking the high road are two important things you must remember at all costs. Going under the radar tells you to never get involved in drama. It may seem like the biggest thing in your life, but thats only for a minute. The next minute there will just be something else there to clog your life, and something else and something else. It never ends! Do not let yourself get dragged up into that sort of situation. Its just as cool to stand back and watch as it all unfolds around you, dont step into it. Taking the high road will help you when, by chance, you are in the midst of a drama filled situation. Whether it is a fight or anything along drama lines, be the bigger person. Dont be the one to yell or start something bigger. Either just apologize or move on. So all in all, stay out of drama, it doesnt help anyone. | Chapter 19 Drama30: Chapter 20 Cafeteria | 1. Do not eat the sides. The main part of the meal is usually only a bit disgusting. If it comes with any sides, for example, rice, stuffing, beans, peas, carrots, potatoes, etcetera. Don't eat them. They are always the coldest and most watery. Unless you would like to be sick for day on end... 2. Be nice to the lunch ladies. If you are nice, then they will instantly return the favor. Day after day, say please and thank you. Considering most students do not do this, the workers will remember you as the nice one. This is an unusual quality to have from lunch ladies so they will make sure to reward you and give you the freshest and best food. 3. Where to sit. When you go to a new school, lunch is always the hardest place to be. It is the first time you could actually look like a loner. Instead of having five loners, why don't you all sit together? This is an easy way to make friends. If you don't want to do this, check with your friends what lunch they have before. This will help you to figure out ahead of time where to sit and with whom you are going to sit with.31: Chapter 21 Resolutions | New years resolutions show what your goal is for the year. When it comes to the start of a year, always give yourself something to improve on. This will help you begin the year on a good note. Some resolutions include: 1.Be nice to everyone. 2.Don't judge. 3.Have a mix of empathy and sympathy. 4.Donate your time or money at least twice a year to a foundation. 5.Exercise and eat healthy. 6.Complete homework on time. 7.Don't cause drama. 8.Don't spread rumors. 9.Do spend quality time with your family. 10.Always try your best.32: Chapter 22 Impressions | There is only one first impression. This is one rule I always follow. No matter whom you meet, you will and always be judged by your first impression. What this includes is your outfit, your tone of voice, and your personality. Meeting someone for the first time is equivalent to going for a job interview. The boss is choosing whom to pick. For you to even be considered, you must look professional. If you come in wearing ripped jeans to an office interview, you will be giving the wrong impression, that you are not going to work and look your best for the other employees. When meeting people for the first time, take all of these things into consideration. For it is worth it to be on your best behavior and give the correct first impression.33: Chapter 23 Consequences | Always follow the rules. A consequence can be defined as the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier. If you don't follow the rules you will be forced to follow a consequence as your punishment. For example, if you get into a fistfight with one of your fellow classmates, you are not following to rules. Therefore the outcome of this will be a severe punishment or consequence. If you keep your head on strait, then you will always be able to avoid punishments. Are you about to do something? Think to yourself, Is this a good idea? Anytime you are a little bit hesitant or you have a pit in your stomach, follow the voice in your head that is telling you not to do it. You will be punished for anything you do whether it is a major murder or just talking in class, be ready for your outcome.34: Chapter 24 Rules of Life | How to make your day go by easier: 1. Make an effort to hold the door. 2. Let the person next to you share your book if they forget theirs. 3. Never lie. 4. Feel free to say Hello to everyone you pass. 5. It's okay for you to be the first one to apologize.35: Losses come in different forms, everything from a relatives death to your team loosing in the playoffs. Every time you loose, no matter what it is, it will always hurt. It is necessary to keep continuing in your life and making yourself feel better. You can do this by either improving your skills or finding people around you to comfort you, or both. Each loss will bring out a different emotion in you, excess energy is released into sadness, ager, frustration, tears, the list goes on and on. To help yourself make it through these times, channel your energy into something better and more worthwhile. For example, instead of slamming your glove on the ground when you miss a catch, try going up to the coach and asking him for help. This will not only control your emotions but it will also improve for next time you try it again. You entire life will consist of losses. It is very important to remember your gains. Your wins in life will always outnumber your losses. So one day, whenever you are very frustrated with what you have loosed over your life, think about what you have succeeded in. | Chapter 25 Losses36: Chapter 26 Relationships | Relationships are everyone who plays a part in your life. This can include everyone from friends to boyfriends to parents to teachers to even arch enemies. Your life is influenced by all of the thousands of people you meet. Friends are there for support but are always changing. They help you through different journeys you may come across and give you advice on how to handle situations. Your parents are there for you no matter what. If you were twenty years old they would still love to hold you in their lap. Parents will forever take your side and give you everlasting confidence no one else can give. The one or two people in your life that you can act mean or insane in front of them and they will love you no matter what. Boyfriends are there for the moment in your life. You never want him to leave and you devote your life to him. You may go through some tough spots in this relationship but it is worth it to find a true love. The last type of relationship is one every person in the world has and wishes they did not. An archenemy. This is usually a person of the same sex as you and can vary from very similar to polar opposites. An enemy is always the one jealous of you. The most common enemy is jealous of your looks, grades, friends, or worse boyfriend. They will try to steel him away. Note to any girl who is going through this: destroy this girl. This is the lowest of the low and will take your guy right out from under you just to spite you.37: Find the best way to handle this situation and get out, fast! As for everyone else you meet day-to-day, it is worth a Hello! It just maybe, you will get a new relationship! Everyone in your life helps to make you who you are.38: Chapter 27 Skills | Using your skills. Before you can access your true potential in life, you must learn how to thoroughly use all of your skills. The skills within need to be brought to the surface. The people in your life will teach you what you need to do. The rest of your years are purely application. Do you have the will power to go through with your skills? Everyday of life takes stamina to continue. Each time, what you call skills, fail you, what will you do? Move on and improve. High school, college, jobs, and everything else not only take general skills but one most important skill of all. That is the skill to use your personality, responsibilities, and what you already know, and put them to work. That is life and that is a skill.39: Chapter 28 Consequences | There is a big difference between assessing someone and judging them. Judging is rude and you are never giving the person a chance. This will not only force you to loose friends, but also make the other person feel like dirt. Starting a school and meeting new people, you need to find a group of friends that are similar to you. Maybe glancing down at their outfit can tell you a lot. But, to make an honest assessment of the person, it is necessary to find the person's true personality. After talking or even sitting with this new person for a week or so it will allow you to find out more about them. After a few days it is okay to make an assessment. Is this new person someone you can call your best friend? Maybe, if their qualities and goals match your qualities and goals, during high school, this person has the potential to be a good friend to you. Even, if they don't dress the same as you.40: Life is always changing. Something like entering high school can be a big change! This will influence a lot in your personality and can even change how you act. It is important to remember that changes always lead to other changes. For example, you enter high school (change number one), then you make new friends (change number two), which means you will have more and a busier social life (change number three). Finally, since you dont have much time left in your day, you start to blow off school and your grades drop (change number four). All of these changes lead to your parents grounding you and before you know it you are in a deep dilemma. Therefore, it is important to remember that life is a cycle and once you go down it is hard to come back up. My advice: take changes in small doses so you dont bite off more than you can chew. | Chapter 29 Changes41: Chapter 30 Lumps | Challenges and things you have never experienced before will come across you in your high school career. Everyday there is a new problem to encounter. Problems and challenges will always come. So instead of trying to hide, run at them full charge. Attack the challenge and move on. You can do it. This is stamina for the rest of your life. Control your problems and roll with them as they come. What seems like your life relies on one day will be nothing the next. It is most important to understand what happens from each situation and realize how to change it for the next time. Look at all your dilemmas as learning experiences. Find what you need and change it. This will make all your lumps in high school along the way go a lot smoother.42: Chapter 31 Dreams | What is your ultimate goal in life? Most people throughout their lives have something they have always wished to succeed in and do. Then, answer this, why do all of these people not accomplish their goals? Will you? Reach for the moon, even if you miss you will land amongst the stars. Maybe your moon is going to Harvard University. In high school, it feels like you could never accomplish that. The difference is that you must keep trying. When you get an F on an assignment, quiz, test, project, or anything else, it crushes your dreams. Instead of giving up hope, keep fighting! Dont make it to the moon? Try for the stars. Stars for you could be Boston University. Would you turn down Boston University to go to Harvard? Dont cut off your nose to spite your face. Go to BU and make it a goal that you will get a masters degree from Harvard. No matter what age you are, there is always time to pursue for your dreams.43: Chapter 32 Movie | If my life was a movie this is what would be included (five scenes): 1.My birth- entering the world as a new soul and making my parents into a mother and a father. Proud of a new baby girl. 2.Learning how to talk- I would never stop, though I had a slight speech impediment, it cleared up. Though I still never stopped talking! 3.My elementary years- some bumps along the way but overall great time spent meeting my first friends and growing. 4.My middle school years- low point of my life, few friends by eighth. Perfect grades throughout. 5.My freshman year- an overall success. I have enjoyed these months the most out of fifteen wonderful years of life. I have met many friends and I even met my first boyfriend. Grades are average and there is still time for improvement before senior year. | DARBY!44: Chapter 33 Summer | Summer vacation seems years away when you first enter high school. But, before you know it, the one hundred eighty days are over and finals come around. After spending your last two weeks of school in agony waiting for summer, your vacation is finally here. What is summer? Summer is a time for hanging out with your friends, sleeping in, staying out late, and having the time of your life. Everyone has different plans for the summer. Maybe you are going to the beach, working at your first real job, or joining summer camps. No matter what you are doing it goes by to fast. I advise you to spend your time wisely and even go out with your parents a few times. (It will earn you some bonus points!) Hope you have a fun vacation!45: Thank you for reading!