Life Lessons I Learnt From High School | Acupofjessicatedcoconut

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On the 10th of November I had my last WACE exam which marked the official end of my time in high school, however the realization that I had actually gotten through 5 years of high school only sunk in a few days later when I realized that I would never have to catch the bus at 7.38 AM every morning and sit upstairs every lunch and recess with my close knit group of friends at our little table and rush through the little glass doors between classes which left me feeling infinitely small as a year 12 amongst a sea of taller year 8's and 9's. 
School was an interesting thing, and if you told year 9 Jess that one day she would be hesitant about leaving school, she would probably laugh nervously and think that you were crazy for thinking that was even a possibility. Some of the darkest thoughts and experiences came from that time in my life however despite all the loneliness and suffering, being alone for such a long time taught me a lot about the human experience as a whole as well as teaching me to appreciate the friends that I have now with every morsel of my being. I remember sitting in a dusty computer room with my year coordinator after school one day as I listened to her ramble on about how I had to try to make friends (she even drew a diagram of the various groups I could sit with) but I think the right things came at the right time without me having to try - it was just a natural progression and that was really comforting. It was just something about the way that I could feel things start to fall into place. I MEAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE FOR IT TO HAVE HAPPENED EARLIER but oh well. 

Through five years of crazy experiences and encounters with people and self discovery embedded somewhere between all of that mess, I learnt a lot within the comforting walls of my school and for that I will be endlessly thankful for everything and everyone involved in the process. 

Here are some life lessons I learnt from high school:

1. Trying to be someone that you're not doesn't work out (ever) - it eventually catches up to you and believe it or not, you deserve better than to live in a body that has only been constructed for the sake of fitting in with people who do not appreciate you for who you are. 

2. Wear what you want and fuck what everyone else thinks.

3. If it doesn't feel right to begin with then you probably should stop forcing it to feel right - you'll waste a lot of years in the process. 

4. If someone asks you if you're ok and you're not, tell them the truth. 

5. Sometimes you just have to take chances and be brave and detach yourself from all the fears that restrain you from experiencing things wholly - its ok to let go sometimes. 

6. Appreciate the little things, all the frivolous particulars that are beautiful puzzle pieces to the sum of the whole. 

7. Stop letting people walk all over you all the time - I know it may seem easier to let them rather than argue but they're going to take advantage of that and one day, years down the track you'll wish you had said something and stood up for yourself. Don't be scared.

8. Understand that you are part of the universe, and your voice is heard. 

9. You have every right to leave a friendship if it is not fulfilling - people change and grow into incompatible pairs that can be destructive sometimes, so even though it is scary thought that someone that was once the centre of your universe can no longer be there, it's important to listen to what your gut instinct is telling you and act on it.

10. It is good to be forgiving, but please please try to realize that sometimes people don't deserve to be forgiven. 

11. If someone can look you in the eye and tell you that their world is better off without you in it then you should say what you're thinking and then turn around and walk away and don't ever turn back. If someone has the capacity to hurt you like that then they are not meant to be in your life. 

12. It's ok to cry, it is not a sign of weakness. Allowing yourself to feel is the first step to getting over it. 

13. Give yourself more credit for doing what you're doing and having done what you've done. You are doing well. 

14. Despite what your teacher may tell you, it is possible to finish a 10 page lab report the weekend before it's due but please save yourself the sickening stress and start your assignments early. 

15. People who actually value you and want to be a part of your life will put in the effort - so if someone constantly cancels plans and has no time for you then that's bullshit because we make time for those we care about. 

16. Sometimes people who you've hardly spoken to will have a lot of harsh things to say about you, but at the end of the day they hardly even know you so I guess their points are invalid anyway. Shrug it off and smile at them whenever you walk past them. 

17. The right people can walk into your life when you least expect it. 

18. Be kind to your teachers, they are stressed out too. 

19. Some nights you will feel like there is no hope for you - drink lots of water, put a face mask on and dance to the top 100 playlist on spotify in your room until you feel like yourself again. There is always hope until you tell yourself there isn't. 

20. Don't let silly people who think they are better than you speak down to you and make you feel inferior, Alice Walker once said that the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. 

21. Let your friends know that you love them and appreciate them. 

22. Don't get three hours of sleep the night before you have two exams in one day. 

23. Your grades are in no way a representation of your self worth, I know people are going to make it seem like it is the end of the world if you fail a test but just accept that it wasn't the best performance and try harder next time. I spent way too much time feeling discouraged over marks and beating myself up over it when I could've been working towards improving myself for next time. 

Ok so I'm going to stop at 23 but I know that I'll be in bed tonight and think of so many other ones that I wish I had added in. I hope this has a positive impact on at least one person out there.

Lots of love,
Jess xxx

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