As I am graduating this year and leaving high school behind for new things ahead, I am aiming to look back upon what I have learned and what I have loved about being in this building.

1. 1. Do NOT, whatever you do, procrastinate things for class. Throughout high school, this was a common habit of mine. I would wait until the night before to do that big project or write that 4-page research paper. It was something I got into the habit of doing and it took me 3 years to realize that it was hurting me and not helping. It took me a long time to realize that the quality of work drops drastically when you are rushed to do it. I remember a project that my friend and I did the night before the due date; that was the stupidest idea that has ever crossed my mind. We pulled an all-nighter to finish it, and when we brought it to class, it looked as if a 5-year-old had made it. We felt horrible when we had to present it, and our grade took a hit, as well as our egos. The same goes for reading a book with class. I was reading Brave New World with my English class junior year and it was very much an independent read. So, I just kept putting it off, saying that I would get to it, but I never did. And on the test, my grade plummeted because I knew nothing.
   2. To sophomores and grades below- Don’t procrastinate SAT prep. I mean you can, but I would not recommend it. The SAT is a test that tests your testing abilities. Procrastinating on it just makes the odds of getting a high score lower. I did it, and I ended up taking it again and going through all the stress and a 5 hour day of testing in Lansing again.
   3. Please, be respectful and get to know your teachers/ staff. It’s not that hard, I promise. Teachers are not there to hurt your grade, no matter how mean they seem. There will always be a certain teacher that may just be having a bad day or may feel disrespected because his or her class keeps talking over them. I promise, they are only here to help. I don’t think I would have made it through these past four years with my sanity without the help of some of the staff members and teachers here. Now, I am not saying that you need to be the person to shush everyone 24/7, but be respectful. Make friends with them, too. Think about this- one year after graduation, you may find yourself in need of a letter of recommendation. Who would you rather have write it- a professor who hardly knows you, or someone who has known you for four years and knows your strengths? Take your pick. You have been with these amazing teachers for four years. Act like it.
   4. Make friends with everyone and be involved. To be completely honest, this is something I wish I would have done better. Throughout the past four years, I have stayed with my “group,” and I didn’t really branch out into anything, but I wish I had. Make your time last with these people, as you only have four years with them. I understand if you don’t like high school, or if you find yourself awkward, because I was that way, too; but these people are here to help make these the best four years of your life. Don’t just stick to one group. Branch out.
   5. And finally, be nice. This the one thing that I would recommend most. Looking back on my four years as a Ranger, it was important to be nice, respect everyone and don’t judge. Just take a walk in someone else’s shoes for a day. No one has any idea what anyone may be going through at home, or even in their own mind.

Let me tell just say that high school is very hard, and I understand. It involves possible all nighters to finish things, pop quizzes, and a lot of crowded hallways, creating pushing and shoving. You may feel like you are drowning in papers, but if there was one thing I want to get across from this, one of my last posts on The Central Trend, it is to be nice to everyone.