7 High School Learnings That Shape You
At high school, we could be free of many burdens
I graduated from high school a decade ago, which I cannot believe as I write this. I am 26 now, and it is the best time to reflect and share what I learned from high school. Thankfully, I still fall under the ‘youth’. Both high-schoolers and grown-ups can relate to the learnings.
When I think about high school, I hardly reminiscence academic learning.
“A place is only as good as the people you know in it. It is the people that make the place.” ― Pittacus Lore, I Am Number Four
Classroom learning also included eating our lunch stealthily while the teacher talked enthusiastically about Geography. From friendship to exploring cocurricular activities, it was a journey of highs and lows.
I carried my best high school version to undergrad college. School shaped me individually with some of the best memories and a few incidents I do not want to recall ever (pun and regret intended).
My high school journey is composed of two different schools. I transferred because my first school did not have some subjects of my liking. Hence, these learnings come from two diverse backgrounds. Here are the seven high school teachings that shape you as an individual:
- You learn to embrace diversity here. Our class comprised students from different economic and religious backgrounds. We shared lunch boxes and never said anything derogatory to hurt anyone’s feelings. Thanks to the inclusive environment created by our teacher, nobody thought of discriminating against others.
- You learn to manage time. I bet this is not something you consider when you read high school. But we made time for everything apart from studies. We could skip classes to roam freely with friends. It was our will and efforts that helped us to balance our time between fun and studies. We still studied to clear the exams.
3. You learn about the importance of unity. In my first school, we remained a united class in every situation. No one complained about any positive mischief to the teacher. Nobody pointed fingers at others for sadistic pleasure. However, this changed after my transfer. The students in my new school did not give a damn about unity. All they could care about was themselves. Hence, you also learn the lack of unity.
4. You develop critical thinking. Every situation is a challenge. A project develops your ability to think independently and evaluate situations from various angles.
5. You develop communication skills. I am an introvert. Presentations are not my thing. But once, I was paired with a group of introverts. Nobody came forward to present. Left with no choice, I decided to take a bullet for the team. We secured the highest marks, and our project was selected for an exhibition. You can link this with the previous point to understand how high school develops personality beyond academics.
6. You learn to adapt. The biggest brats are also bound to follow the rules and regulations within school premises.
7. You re-discover yourself. I represented my school at the national level in chess. Not once, but twice. I was not born as a chess prodigy. I used to play the game to pass my time. Nobody told me I could play chess. I saw the opportunity and took it. From juniors to teachers, everyone appreciated me. Most importantly, I discovered that you do not need to be a genius by birth to do well in a field.
Some Words for Current High School Students
I made horrible friends. We have been told since childhood that one person becomes your best friend. As a kid and teenager, I had strong faith in this statement. But all my best friends turned out to be some of the best life lessons in friendships. Hence, it is not mandatory to have a best friend. A friend should be kind to you when nobody else is. If your friend dares to hurt you when you are already hurting, chances are that person was never your friend.
As a high school student, you must be careful. It is easy to be vulnerable, especially as a teenager. Many people would want to use that to their advantage. Do not trust anyone completely. Be kind to yourself and others.
That being said, you also find some of the best people in high school. The picture (see below) is me with someone as important as my biological sister. I met Ujjainee in a chess tournament, and we represented our school at nationals together. After 11 years, we remain as close as sisters. We do not talk often because we both are busy shaping our lives. However, I know I will always have her support and vice versa.
Be selective while making friends. One good friend is always better than 20 people who pretend to be your friend.
Let me know the first thing that came to your mind when you read ‘high school’.
