Hello, freshman class. I have returned to grant all of you more of my wisdom. Since I will be leaving the halls of Delphi Community High School in just a few short weeks, and I am rather long-winded, I decided to revisit my article from September. I didn’t feel that I gave all of the advice I wanted to in just that one article. So, here is the rest of the advice I have to offer you: 

Try anything and everything you want to. My junior year, I decided to join the track team, which ended up being the single-handed worst decision of my entire life. I am awful at running, which I was completely aware of prior to joining, but I thought that maybe there was a sliver of hope for me. It turns out I was far too optimistic. However, I would not take back the memories I made for anything. Of course, the season was cut extremely short due to COVID-19, but I still had enough time to learn a lot about myself. I’m not going to be one of those people that says high school goes by fast, because for me, it didn’t. However, you still only have four years in this building. Now, almost only three. Make the most of it and don’t look back and be filled with regret. 

Next, have the courage to know when to walk away. This is an incredibly difficult skill to achieve, but with practice, it can be possible. I often find myself to be someone who pushes and pushes and pushes during arguments, because I like to be right. This often leads to the person on the opposite end of the conversation feeling invalidated and talked over. This year especially, I have worked really hard at knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes, you just have to walk away from a conversation and revisit it later. This does not mean that you have “lost”—and, by the way, even thinking of an argument as a game to win can become extremely toxic. Knowing when to walk away takes an incredible amount of courage and self-awareness. However, once you get the hang of it, knowing when to walk away will greatly help you in your relationships with others. 

Finally, you are never alone. My struggles with mental health absolutely dominated my high school career. There are solid weeks I don’t even remember because I spent so much of my time dissociating just to get through them. I strongly discourage you from following in my footsteps. Reach out for help if you are struggling. I know, it’s hard to admit you need help when you need it. I, too, like to believe that I have everything under control and put together neatly. But the fact of the matter is . . . I don’t. Real life is messy and imperfect and something that is completely valid to need help with. Never be afraid to ask for help. Even in the darkest hours of the night, the stars still blanket the sky. You are surrounded by stars even in the darkest of times, you just have to allow yourself to see their light. 

Remember, your high school career is yours and yours only. No two experiences are the same. While I do believe that the knowledge I have shared with you can help you become a successful high schooler, you have to be the one who determines whether or not this advice is helpful for you. In the words of Maya Angelou: “Live as though life was created for you.”