To all the underclassmen who have not yet triumphantly thrown their red and white caps in the air after being congratulated on completing the 4 most memorable years of their lives, this survival guide is for you. High school is hard and one of the most socially and emotionally challenging things you will ever experience. However, it is also a time of growth, challenges, and endless opportunities. 

Before I entered my Freshman year here at Smithtown High School East and studied all the High School Musical movies from beginning to end, high school seemed like the coolest thing anyone could experience. However, when high school began for me, I learned that all my thoughts about it were hardly true. It was different from middle school and was not something I was prepared for. However, I didn’t let this impact my high school journey.  I worked hard in my classes while still having fun, making new friends, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I was hanging out on weekends and working hard during the week. I felt my strongest after disciplining myself to work hard, focus on my future, and still enjoy my high school years.

I am now a senior graduating with my MBA in business and I will be attending my dream college in New York City, Pace University. I will be studying Entrepreneurship while attending school with a few close friends. High School is scary but it does prepare you for the outside world. I feel confident now that I can take care of myself academically and I was able to obtain that sense of security by just balancing my life with the things I care about. You will never need a “high school survival guide”, you will only need to find a motivation to keep going, have fun, and pursue what you want. That is how you survive high school.