Class of 2016 ~ A Reflection on My High School Years

Yep, you read that right. I graduated! And I learned so much from high school. Why isn't that one word?! ^.^

~Grades Matter~

I'm a straight-laced, firstborn girl, so grades have always mattered to me. Like, don't tell me I got a 99% on that pre-K Math test. It should have been a 100%. But, still. Even without college in my future, I learned the importance of making good grades.

The largest and most influential part of my high school education were the World View classes I took at a co-op with my pastor as teacher. They were college-level, multi-credit classes that covered everything from history to philosophy and required a great deal of reading. Everything was filtered and examined through a Christian world view and required a 3-5 page essay. I totally soaked it up. ;)

All of that's to say, good grades were sometimes a little hard to get in that class, but if I really put myself to it, every week, I could be an A student. And I was. The grades mattered to me, my parents, my teacher, and my self-esteem. It made me feel good to get just as much positive feedback as critique. You can only do high school once. Doing it well counts, especially if your future career depends upon you having made good marks.

~Sleep Matters More~

Being a pretty driven personality, I had to learn to draw the line. I would stay up through the night finishing a book that I procrastinated on, just so I could finish my syllabus pages and get a 9 instead of an 8. It took me two years (half of my classes) to learn that it's not always worth it. Sometimes, you need the sleep and the energy to just start over again the next morning instead of one grade higher and circles under your eyes.

Trust me, all-nighters are not all their cracked up to be. Especially when you have a speech you have to give the next day after a full day of classes. (I do not know from personal experience.) Don't do that to yourself. Sleep for a few hours and get up early. And start on it earlier next time. ;)

~Classes Are Awesome~

They're not everybody's thing, but I adored being able to go to co-op for those four years, one day a week. I abused my freedom somewhat the first year, but that taught me a lot. I became more comfortable with who I was and loved having the competitive atmosphere that I wasn't getting at home, with siblings only in grades below me. At the same time, they made me really thankful that every weekday was not spent zipping from one class to another with deadlines and teachers and annoying or really hilarious classmates. It was great to be able to come home, eat a ton of food, watch movies, and sleep in.

~Friends Are the Best~

I made the mistake of never spending very much time with people at school. I carpooled with my teacher's family, so I always hung with their daughter (my best friend). But I do wish that some weeks I would have set aside the textbook and said hello to my classmates. Because, looking back, it's the conversations and fellowship I had with people that stands out to me. Thankfully, in spite of my reclusive habits, I still have friends I took away from those years :)

~Pray When You're Stressed~

Stress is just part of growing up. It doesn't go away after high school. (Trust me.) And no matter what I did to try and de-stress myself so I could go right back to stressing, only one thing ever worked: stepping back and praying. Sleep was great and all, but sometimes I couldn't even sleep, I had so much I needed to be doing. Prayer was literally the only thing that could calm my mind enough to keep going and try to enjoy what I was doing. God knows what He's doing people. Don't forget to cast your cares upon Him. He really does like to listen, but unlike parents, He can renew your strength, too.

~Netflix Is Therapy~

Again, stress is gonna happen. Know how to cope. There is nothing wrong with watching an episode of your favorite show even when your to-do list is full. I repeat. Netflix is therapy. It can also be a trap, so maybe don't binge watch with a full to-do list, but a break is deserved. Sometimes the only way I could get back to the grind was to step away. 45 minutes of your life is not the end of the world. And, let's face it, it's much less of a trap than social media ;) But dude, I kept up with Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, and multiple detective shows through those four years, so I was watching plenty of TV.

~I'd Do It Again~

If it came down to it, I'd do it again. I would. And I know this is probably unique to me, but I'm that kind of person ;) Even though it was largely a sleepless, stressful time, getting up at 5 am and reading people who wrote hundreds of years ago was incredible. Falling asleep while reading was marked off my bucket list. I actually saw sunrises back then. I had hours more in each day and I was using my time well. It was one of the most formative and reading-filled times of my life. It was, in a word, awesome. Oh, yes, I'd do it again.

~~~~~

How close are you guys to finishing high school? If you're done, HOORAY! What have you learned? Are you a driven personality like me? I have to say, no matter how much I loved school, I am very glad I don't have four more years ahead. I'm done. Experience is the route for me (so thank you, awesome friends)! :D

And I am typing this from my shiny, new laptop!! (He doesn't have a name yet.) Graduation presents are awesome, y'all. Take advantage of them. It was totally worth 100 invitations, to get 50 cards back with money. *nods*