I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted my very last article for the Skier Scribbler to be, bouncing ideas back and forth while watching the deadline slowly creep closer to me. I figured I should write something more meaningful than the other articles I’ve published, but I didn’t know what that could be.

But one thing I do know is that high school is a lot of things. Definitely stressful. Definitely fun. But it’s also chaotic and unpredictable. There isn’t one single lesson that can sum it all up at once. So that’s why I’ve chosen to write about six things that high school has taught me.

Be kind

This one seems pretty obvious, but it often gets ignored. No one ever regrets being kind to people. High school offers so many opportunities to be mean, judgmental, and ignore people, but your own life becomes more enjoyable when you substitute those actions with kindness. It may be easier to be unkind, but kindness sticks, and people remember it…and come on, don’t you too?

Your reputation builds itself

You can’t control what people think of you, but what you can control is how you act every day. Everything you do adds up: the way you treat others, own up to your mistakes, handle situations, etc. Everyone is quick to make their preconceived notions of people, and how you act is what impacts that. Over time, people start seeing you in a certain way, and that becomes your reputation. Your reputation is not something you can control, but you can put in effort to create a positive reputation for yourself.

The good things in life depend on your ability to notice them

A lot of high school is just what you’re choosing to focus on. It’s easy to become caught up in a pessimistic mindset when focusing on the stress, fear, or drama. Because of this, it’s even easier to ignore the good things that go on around you. You don’t usually notice the good things while they’re happening, especially on normal days. Just waking up, going to school, seeing the same people, and following the same routine. It doesn’t feel important, and it might feel boring and repetitive, but it is important. The fact that you even get to do any of those things is pretty lucky; you should be grateful for the little things you have.

Actions speak louder than words

It’s cliché, but it’s also true; your actions speak louder than your words. It’s easy to say things like promises, plans, or excuses, but what actually matters is whether you follow through. People notice that over time. The way you act consistently is what builds trust and shapes how others see you. After a while, people stop listening to what you say and start paying attention to what you do, and that ends up saying everything about who you are.

Try everything

If there is one thing that I can say I don’t regret doing, it’s that I’ve tried almost everything. In my first two years of high school, I did nothing, and life felt mundane and dull. In my second two years, I tried everything, and the things I never would’ve thought I liked ended up being the most memorable parts, like randomly running for Class President and actually getting it. High school is one of the only times when you can actually do that and get involved with no restrictions. You’re not going to be good at everything you do, and there are some things you won’t have the willpower to keep doing, but the important thing is that you tried and put in effort. And if you don’t try, you just never know.

Don’t skip class

I probably am the last person who should give this advice, but just don’t do it. Even though it seems harmless at first, a simple, “Just one class, right?” can start to pile up. The days you skip end up having the most work ever, and you won’t even want to make it up. One class turns into two, which turns into three, and then four… and so on. Skipping class throws off your entire routine and makes school so much more difficult than it actually is. And don’t even get me started on the new eligibility rules that were implemented this year…I’m getting out of here at the perfect time. Regardless, just showing up in general is half of the battle, and once you’re there, it’s so much easier.

There’s no perfect way to sum up everything high school has to offer, and there probably never will be. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my time at AHS, it’s that it comes down to how you choose to go about each day. Be kind. Pay attention. Try new things. Show up, and let your actions speak for you. Also, don’t complain to your friends about getting a B+ on a test. It’s kinda lame.