SUMMER SCHOOL ZONE: Making the most out of high school

BY GABRIEL GONZALEZ

SUMMER SCHOOL ZONE WRITER

There are many ways to make the most out of your high school experience, from making multiple friends to choosing electives that best suit you. The choices you make will shape your entire student life. As a student leader on campus, I’ve seen many students have cherished moments from the following tips.

TIP 1: Join extracurricular activities

As simple as it may be, joining extracurricular activities like sports and clubs are a great way to elevate your school involvement. Most students don’t even realize the benefits of being a part of your school’s community. 

You meet new people and experience something new that might interest you. Having these things to look forward to after school gives students a sense of purpose and the feeling of belonging. That feeling of belonging could even prevent students from dropping out of high school. 

According to authors J.L Mahoney and R.B. Cairns’ “Do extracurricular activities protect against early school dropout?” — students who participated in extracurricular activities had a lower dropout rate than those who did not. This goes to show that joining your school’s community can be worth more than you think.

TIP 2: Have a good relationship with your teachers

You might be questioning how having a relationship with your teachers could affect your student life, but teachers are the people who could make it or break it for you. Teachers are there to help you learn and grow as a person. If you build connections with them, going to class won’t feel as forced. Having that lasting connection with them makes school feel less stressful, especially since you have them to help you with work, which gives you more time to enjoy high school. Another great benefit I’ve learned is that teachers are willing to write you a great recommendation letter if you have a bond with them. 

TIP 3: Participate in school events

When I attend events, I see a lot of students scared because of the stigma that comes with participation. A lot of the time, students feel embarrassed to participate, but when they do get involved, it’s more fun than they expected. Some of the best moments from high school come from doing the things everyone is scared to do, like playing a game during a pep rally or dressing up for Spirit Day. Putting yourself out there is a huge part of enjoying every day and it’s one of the best feelings when you’re with friends doing something fun. 

TIP 4: Live in the moment

With all the rigorous classes and the struggles that school might bring, students don’t take advantage of what’s happening around them and forget to live in the moment. We forget that this is our only time in high school — and once it’s gone, we aren’t getting it back. It’s important to take advantage of every opportunity your school has to offer, whether that’s attending an event or choosing a class. Living in the moment is one of the best ways to make the most out of your school experience because, after high school, nobody is going to ask what your GPA is or what your grades are like. 

That’s why it’s important to take a step back and focus on what’s going on in front of you. I’ve learned that I should focus just as much time on school involvement as I do on my academics because I’ll miss some of the best chances of my student life.