I have planned what this column would entail since my freshman year. (I really hoped I would have this position, obviously.) My outlook on high school, however, entirely shifted from how I felt six months ago, let alone how I felt at the end of freshman year. High school involved a lot of hurt, stress, pain, happiness, excitement and learning. As cliche as it seems, high school made me grow up. I just would like to give some of the wisdom I have come across in my four years. Here you go, freshman Beth. Read on.

First of all, Mr. Hayes will become your favorite teacher. Yes, he is scary at first, and his class involves a lot of effort. No, he is not a jerk. He provides an understanding many other adults in my life failed to express. His class teaches you more than how to read Shakespeare (Gotta love Hamlet), opening my mind to a much bigger world.

Also, the boy who broke your heart will be six hours away without traffic once college begins; he was never as amazing as you thought. Just because I get into these obsessions with certain boys does not mean that my feelings cease to exist, so please acknowledge them. No adult will say this, but I really think boys were an incredible learning experience for high school Beth, and I do not have too many regrets.

I have found that caring about what everyone thinks of me only ever brought me down; do not let people who do not matter to you do that. Be the person you want to be, not what you think everyone else wants. If you want to wear heels to school, wear heels. If you want to step down and take fewer honors classes, take fewer honors classes. Living life how you want to live it brings you more happiness than any other person can ever bring you.

Yes, grades are important. No, you do not need to take every AP class RHS offers. Life is difficult enough; do not put more on your plate than you can handle.

Stop worrying about being accepted to NYU. You will be rejected, but the college you decide to attend is a trillion times better. More cute boys, too. Doing the best I could in school and indulging in many different opportunities matters a lot more than getting into Harvard or wherever one might think is the “only school for them.” (I really do promise this philosophy makes life better.)

Friends will come and go. Sometimes, people drift apart, and that is okay. I grew up so much in the last year of high school that the people I originally surrounded myself with just did not vibe with me the way they used to. I beat myself up for weeks thinking I did something wrong or that I was not good enough for those friends, but in reality, people just grow in different ways. They are still incredible human beings. I still love them; however, I fully understand that our paths moved in opposite ways.

No one cares what you do. Do what you want. If you want to join anime club, do it. If you want to create a business and sell Doritos from your locker, do it with the consent of Mr. King. High school is about experience and trying new things; do not let the opinions of others or your irrational thoughts of how others perceive things get in your way. I let myself think that everyone was paying attention to every move I made; honestly, no one cares that much.

Just wait, things will get better. You have so much growing up to do. College will be a blast. Your roommate is hilarious, and you will make tons of new friends, even prior to orientation. (Another tip: use Facebook once you decide where you plan to attend school.) High school is simply four years of your life, and you have many more to come afterward. High school can become extremely difficult, and you might wake up feeling quitting is the only option. Just remember that ceasing to wake up would mean failing to experience the most beautiful college in the world and spend the summer with the people who matter the most. Everything seems hard, but I swear it all works out.

P.S. Beating Lakota East is an incredible feeling– just wait for it.