The Six Things I've Learned in High School, by Caitlin Marsh

With graduation right around the corner, I have found myself recounting the many memories I have made over these four years. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the unforgettable.  I could easily replay the nights spent with friends or the hours spent getting ready for dates and dances, but when asked what lessons I've learned throughout high school, I found myself at a loss for words. What lessons have I learned? I know there are quite a few, but this requires some thinking. So after sipping some tea, and looking through some of my favorite quotes, I found a few that describe exactly what I have learned at Montville High School, and what I hope to accomplish in my years after I graduate…

1.       "Continue to share your heart with people even if it's been broken." –Amy Poehler (Harvard Speech)

During my high school years, it is no secret that I, a teenaged girl, have experienced heartbreak-- I know, I can’t believe it either-- but when I found this quote, it really stuck with me. So many people become hidden away and build up walls after having their hearts broken, but how can we learn to love again, and someday heal if we do not give others the chance to help us? We cannot escape the inescapable:  we are going to be hurt in this life, but it is up to us to accept the hurt and move on because life doesn’t stop for anybody. "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible things that you can't even imagine yet!" (John Green, The Fault in Our Stars) If we close ourselves out to the possibilities of the world, we will be greatly disappointed.

2.       "Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing." –Hunter S. Thompson

We become so used to the day to day activities in our lives, that we sometimes forget that we have a life to live, and to make this life worth living, we mustn't be afraid to live in the moment and take chances.  There are so many wonderful experiences in my life that I would have never even lived if it weren't for my being spontaneous and dropping all of my fears. Sometimes it's okay to say the heck with it and just go for it. You only have one life, make it worth the while.

3.       "Please know there are much better things in life than being lonely or liked or bitter or self-conscious. We are all full of it. Go love someone just because; I know your heart may be badly bruised, or even the victim of numerous knifings, but it will always heal, even if you don't want it to; it keeps going. There are the most fantastic, beautiful things and people out there, I promise. It is up to you to find them." – Chuck Palahniuk

Now, this quote speaks to me on two separate levels. On one hand, you can never conform to the ideals that society sets for you. You have to do what is best for you in all situations. There is so much more to this life that trying to be something you aren't. Be who you are even if it means standing out. Also, there is no stopping the healing process. It is going to happen no matter how hard to try to prevent it. After a while, you will stop thinking about it every day, and the ache in your soul will be just a tiny scar. You can't just forget that you have been given this beautiful life, and there are the most miraculous things out there waiting for you to find them.

4.       “Not everyone you lose is a loss.” –via Tumblr blog Hibernacles

To me, this is not quite a lesson, but something I have really learned to accept in my four years here. We waste so much of our time trying to get people to like us, or even love us, that we forget to love ourselves first.  Now it may seem like a tragedy when someone you care about walks out of your life, but it is not up to you to stop them. “Fall in love with someone who looks at you like maybe you are magic.”  And on that note, the number one rule of thumb, “Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.”(But let’s be real here, I’m 18 years old, I’ve got the rest of my life to fall in love!)

5.       “If you let people’s perception of you dictate your behavior, you will never grow as a person.” Mr. Feeney, Boy Meets World

To me, this is the absolute most important lesson I have learned here at MHS. Especially in our years here in the public school system, we let the opinions of others change who we are or who we aspire to be. I am a firm believer in being who you are, even if others don’t accept it. The only people that you should bother being around are the ones who truly love who you are without even the slightest of doubts. You were given this life for a reason, don’t let others try to take it from you.

6.    "Do not try to be pretty. You were not meant to be pretty; you were meant to burn down the earth and graffiti the sky. Don't let anyone ever simplify you to just "pretty."" – Things I Wish My Mother Had Taught Me

 To me this says, "Never let somebody condemn you to being only how they see you, and nothing else." You were meant to be so much more than just "pretty," or "smart," or "handsome."  You can be every single thing you set your mind to, and do not let the opinions of others sway who you are. You are more than just a girl or a boy, you are a force to be reckoned with. I believe that if this were taught in schools, we would be raising a powerful, strong and confident generation of kids. And what is more important than that?

So, after sitting here and looking back at my four years here at MHS, I am extremely content with the lessons I have learned, because I know that not only did they help me in high school, but they have helped me with my future. And so on that note, here are a few simple rules that I hope to follow throughout my life, and ones I believe will help you on your journey in and out of High School.

·         Always say yes to seeing friends

·         Eat breakfast everyday

·         Recognize that positive change rarely happens overnight

·         Accept the screw-ups, but try not to let them happen again

·         There is a song to remedy every situation on the planet

·         Appreciate the people in your life

·         Look for the good for everything

·         Try new things and try them often

·         Treat yourself as well as you treat others”