High school sucks. I could just leave it at that and it would be a pretty accurate description. There are so many things that WILL, inevitably, go wrong. But you need to learn to look at the positive side of everything. There are some tips and tricks I would like to pass on to teach you how to survive high school. Most of these may seem quite obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t actually apply these to their lives. Believe it or not, you can succeed and have fun in high school without getting involved in the latest “drama” each week.

Let’s start with the given, you need to find yourself good, trustworthy friends who aren’t looking for trouble or to create unnecessary drama. This is a very important factor as to whether or not you’ll have a great year or a year full of drama. This will help prevent you from getting caught in the midst of fights and arguments so therefore, having friends with the same values as you is a good idea. And don’t get me wrong, although it is nice to have friends, you don’t want to spend every waking moment of your life trying to be the “popular” kid. If you’re a likeable person and people want to be around you, they will naturally towards you, simply for being you. So don’t strive for popularity, your real friends will be there no matter how “cool” you are.

Next rule, don’t be afraid to approach your teachers. If you’re struggling in a class, ask a teacher for help. It doesn’t have to be in class, infront of everyone, consult them after class and don’t be afraid. After all, as teachers, it is their job to help students learn any way possible. Even if you’re not struggling, but you simply have a question you’d like to ask in private, or some constructive criticism or advice on an assignment or project. Don’t hesitate to talk to them, odds are they are more than willing to help and may even be happy for your extra interest in the subject matter. There’s a lot to benefit from visiting one-on-one with your teachers.

On to the next rule. Throughout high school, you need to make holding on to you and what’s important to you one of your priorities. In high school, it can be easy to lose yourself, but make sure not to let anyone change that and stay true to yourself. Especially when transitioning into a new school, such as middle school to high school, there are many adjustments you need to make and you may feel yourself forgetting who you really are.Or you may not, even if you are losing track of your true self. To reconnect with yourself, there are a few things you can do, and one example is turning to your greatest passions. These passions will often give you creative outlets for your emotions and help you find yourself once again. You have to be sure to remind yourself every now and then of the bright future you have been setting yourself up for. Even at your lowest point or in your darkest moments, if all you can do is remember a portion of who you are, you’ll get through it.

This next rule is pretty self-explanatory, but also very important. You need to stay well organized and never procrastinate. You’ll need to stay on top of all you upcoming quizzes, assignments, and other important work that needs to be done. One way to help make this easier is by keeping a planner or recording important dates and homework in a book or tablet to help you keep organized. To do lists are also a great thing when it comes to organize and prioritize assignments. When prioritizing, you'll have to learn to let go of the least important things. You have to prioritize and balance the different aspects of your life, such as schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and free time. Ease up on certain things in order to get the most important things done. Make sure to get everything done, just make sure you realize what’s most important. Staying organized is a key factor in the success of your high school career.

There are so many more rules, tips, and tricks to surviving and succeeding in high school but I feel that these are the most important and beneficial based on my personal experience. I hope that whoever may read this article will take a minute to take my tips into consideration, because trust me, they will help.