Surviving High School: #YOLO
Jovan Quintana
language
(, May 28, 2017)
You Only Live Once - #YOLO - it's a popular hashtag. And at the end of the day, it's an inescapable fact of life. Getting older can be absolutely take-your-breath-away exciting and totally terrifying at the same time. Where you find yourself now (or maybe will soon) is in high school: the go-between of childhood and adulthood. These next few years are bound to test you and, in the end, they will help make you who you are. How are you supposed to get all that mature wisdom and responsibility and still have fun? I'm here to tell you that it's totally possible, with the right tools. Every adult will tell you that they "wish they knew [insert fact of life here]" when they were your age. And even though you probably rolled your eyes as you heard that tired phrase, there's a lot of truth to it. Life is a lot easier when you come prepared, because nobody likes to learn things the hard way. Remember the first time you really learned that stoves were hot? Odds are, your mom waggled her finger at you, and sternly cautioned you against touching it, right? And then, if you're like most kids, the first second she turned around, you took your own finger and cautiously poked at the bottom of the pan. Ouch. After a sizzle and probably a few tears, we all realize that yes, indeed, the pan really is hot. Mom was right. Fancy that, huh? But maybe if you had someone other than mom telling you not to touch the pan, you would have learned the lesson without burning your finger. Even though life is a tad more complex than "Do touch this, but don't touch that," the point is this: life is easier with a little bit of advice. But let me make this clear: you are not about to read another boring self-help book. You are not about to sift through chapters of out-of-date, out-of-touch advice from a bygone era of growing up. You are about to read an interesting and (hopefully) funny account of the peaks and pitfalls of growing up in the modern age. This book will serve as the guide, the database, and hopefully the motivator to help you survive high school. Get ready to dive headfirst into the world that comes after it. First step: Take a deep breath, and just relax. Your childhood isn't running away from you. You can still be a blast at the same time as you learn how to grow and live in the adult world. In a lot of ways, it will be harder than it looks; and in a lot of ways, it will be way, way easier than it looks. Next step: Read on, and start the journey. And remember: you only live once.