For some students, June marks the beginning of graduation season. For others, the finish line of another school year re-emerges. I’ve always spent time reflecting on how much I’ve grown after a bumpy but rewarding year, what I’ve learned in the process of overcoming new challenges. As a high school senior, I wish that I was given certain pieces of advice at the beginning of each grade. So in imagining the wisdom and experience a high school student could benefit from, here are 12 lessons I learned in my high school journey; I hope you will find yourself agreeing with them or at least keep them in the back of your mind until it becomes the right season for you to take the advice.

During Freshman Year

1. Good intentions are not an excuse for the (unwanted) outcomes of your actions. Give genuine apologies and take responsibility for your actions to decrease the chances of relationship break-ups happening.
2. With great responsibility comes great power. When you take responsibility for your life, you also gain power. You realize that you’re capable of directing the course of and outcomes in your life. When you feel down, you need to decide how to recover. When you receive an undesired grade, you need to decide if you’ll readjust your schedule or approach studying in a different manner.
3. You will spend your lifetime with yourself. If you can work on being comfortable in your own presence now, your future self will enjoy life a lot more.

During Sophomore Year

1. Pressure is privilege. As you prepare for high-pressure situations, develop the mindset that they are opportunities to showcase the work you have put in. Doing so, you can feel confident while calming your nerves. The key is to focus and place more value on doing your best during the preparation period; this mindset comes with experience and confidence.
2. Nobody cares about you as much as you think they do. To all the overthinkers, how much time do you spend thinking about other people compared to yourself? Other people only cross your mind for a minute or so, before you return to your own life. Most people are like that too. For all the inevitable awkward moments that you’ve had and will have, move on. Everyone else has.
3. Seek out both deep rest and deep work. Deep work is “[studying/working] performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit,” coined by Cal Newport in his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World In other words, it’s having a level of focus that allows you to complete difficult tasks with efficiency. Thankfully, being able to focus has never been a large struggle for me, but I used to never schedule in time for deep—restorative and energizing—rest. Find what activities are energy-givers for you; it can be anything from taking a nap, standing outside, to working out. Be intentional about how you’re “resting.”

During Junior Year

1. Something is better than nothing. There were too many times in junior year (and then senior year) when I had 100 tasks to complete. I felt paralyzed thinking about how and when I would complete everything. In these moments, focus on one task at a time. It won’t feel like you’re making any progress in the short-term, but if you keep moving forward, you will eventually be able to look back and see you completed your entire to-do list.
2. Everything in life is temporary. The bad days will pass. The good days will end. Remember there is always a light at the end of a tunnel, and be present on the good days knowing they won’t always be there.
3. Respect should go both ways. Age differences don’t excuse a lack of respect. Additionally, even in the conversations where you don’t agree with someone, you should still treat them with respect and dignity.

During Senior Year

1. Get a second opinion. I’ve had multiple teachers tell me “no” or “that’s not possible” after asking a question. First, it never hurts to ask. Second, make sure to exercise your judgment. If you feel that what you’re asking for can be done, talk to another teacher/adult/faculty member; no one knows everything.
2. Say no. For a sliver of time between the start of third quarter and the beginning of orientation for undergrad, you have the ability to say yes to the things you genuinely want to do. Take advantage of this time. “It’s either hell yeah! Or no.” – Derek Sivers.
3. Learn about money. Learn about inflation, passive income, interest, bank accounts, etc. The reality is that money plays a big role in our lives. Set your- self up for success by learning about money now because it will only benefit your future self.