My high school experience at Algonquin began when I moved from a small charter school in Colorado in the middle of freshman year. Trying to fit in in a new school across the country with a group of people, most of whom have known each other since kindergarten, was a challenge, to say the least. I’ll be honest and say most of my high school experience has not been great. But I’m also being honest when I say I met some amazing people and found myself and figured out what I want to do with my life.

One of the biggest things I learned in high school is that it is a combination of good and bad, and the balance is not always equal.

There are some things in high school you know for sure you will experience. You will encounter fake people, you will fail tests, you will embarrass yourself, you will make bad decisions and you will have bad days. It’s just part of high school. But another part of high school is also making lasting memories, encountering amazing people who will brighten your days, figuring out who you are and having good days. And yeah, often times the good and bad won’t be equal. Even over a year after moving here, I never thought I would get past the bad. But here I am now, surrounded by so much good.

Another crucial thing I learned is to do what you do for yourself. The fact of life is that you enter this world alone, and you leave this world alone. So why waste your time doing what other people want for you? Everyone has different circumstances, so everyone has to set their own priorities. It’s your life and your choices, and the sooner you realize that, the happier you will be.

So am I excited to get the hell out of high school? Absolutely. But I also know I’m going to miss it. So although an algebra test or a party may have seemed like the biggest thing in my world at one point, what comes must go. Places go. People go. At the end of these four years, everyone will go in their separate directions to take on whatever life has next for us. So hold on to the good, and move on from the bad. It’s only four years anyway, and believe me when I say it will be over before you know it.