Advice I Would Give Myself as a High School Senior

Nearing the end of my sophomore year here at DePaul University, I’ve learned a lot of lessons through experiences, friends, and thinking which have allowed me to grow and improve as I arrive at the halfway point of my college journey. As I continue to enjoy my time as the final years of my studenthood come to a close, there are numerous parts of my high school and college life that I would have preferred to change looking back. Hopefully, if you’re a high school or college student, this can be viewed as a guide or advice to help optimize and prepare for your future in college. Throughout this blog, I will go over 3 areas in which I believe I could have done better in the past which include health, social, and academics.

To begin, health is an important area every human, student or not, should prioritize no matter the circumstance, as physical and mental health are vital driving factors in motivation, energy, and critical thinking. Specific habits that I have implemented into my daily routine that has drastically boosted my overall health include dieting(depending on your weight goals), working out 5 days a week, getting 8-9 hours of sleep every night, getting fresh air and sunlight often, showering daily, and setting out goals I want to work on. Though the specifics of each task may vary from person to person, placing your body’s health before any other duties is essential as bad mental or physical health can lead to extreme consequences. Nonetheless, sunlight, vitamins, water, nutrients, fitness, sleep, and organization will allow one to live each day to its fullest. In addition, habits such as goal setting, meditation, journaling, and planning will create significant improvements in your daily routine as they will help structure your day/week and reduce stress/anxiety.

Second, making friends through classes, events, and clubs is an excellent method of growing your network while building powerful connections. High school and college are some of the best opportunities you’ll ever get to make lifelong connections, however, not all the people you meet will be positive influences. Choosing to surround yourself with others who align with your desired self and whom you’re able to learn from is crucial in this stage, as you will likely find many toxic, selfish, and disrespectful peers that you should cut off. Have fun during your college experience and don’t pin yourself down on academics completely, go out to eat with friends, watch a movie, whatever it is, try not to miss out on incredible experiences if the opportunity arises. Balancing the time for friends, family, extracurriculars, and academics proves as a struggle for most, however, planning a set time for each with reasonable flexibility is the key to a healthy work-life balance.

Last but not least, focusing on academics is not a keystone to avoid nor dedicate your entire life to, though it is important to focus on accomplishing academic goals you believe will support you in your future. Doing well on schoolwork while having other hobbies on the side helps build a well-rounded individual that can succeed in and out of the workplace. Enforcing and outlining study/homework sessions with complete focus is the most effective way to end procrastination and complete the work you’ve been stressing over. Wherever you decide to aim, do your best to take steps one at a time to reach the you that you dream of.

~ Alex