Advice I Would've Told Myself If I Was In High School Again
Right now, just scrolling through my old picture feeds taken from high school that I posted a long time ago on Facebook, has given me nostalgic memories, which I still remember to this day. There are memories that I look back upon, in which I regret and feel disappointed in myself but, I enjoyed those moments and appreciated it. Now, I’m in my early 20’s and in a few weeks, summer is almost done and with the fall season coming, school is going to be in session soon. And, I’m thinking now, there are too many things I wish that I could’ve advised and prepared myself for before starting high school, for example, having problems of body image and self-identity.
High school, in general, to be honest, is an awkward stage in every person’s life because you’re no longer labeled as a child, but becoming more of a young adult; from body changes to awkward interactions with other people, which could be a scary situation. However, with high school, girls enter womanhood, in which we also have to face the cons of weight gain, which leads to problems regarding body image. At the beginning of my experience in highschool, I remember I never cared about the way I looked, but suddenly I started to notice that high school guys gave a lot attention to girls, who were pretty and slim, so I started comparing and questioning myself throughout high school, I tried to “lose weight,” but I was never satisfied with myself. Now, I would’ve told myself “First, love your body shape but also yourself.” Secondly, just make it a lifestyle, not a diet; by choosing healthy food choices and making it a routine to exercise, instead of trying to losing weight in a certain amount of time.
Growing up, I was pretty shy and also an introvert compared to my friends; I never knew how to interact with other people or start a conversation with a person. By watching cliche high school TV movies, I believed the image TV portrayed about high school, I had hopes that I would have that same experience. However, it never happened which lead to a huge disappointment. I felt lost and confused. I realized I had a false idea of high school, and I knew the true reality of it. But now, if I was able to confront myself about it back then, I would’ve told myself: “Go find and create your own path as it’s better to be different than to go with the flow because you were born to stand out and be unique in your own way.”
Finally, just sipping on my cup of tea and thinking about the past, I believed through those tough times as it created and built me up to the person that I am today. So, I can’t stress enough about the fact that it’s okay to be yourself and being able to stand up for who you are as a person, and surround yourself with good people and those who can be an positive influence in your life. But importantly, follow your passion and it’s never too late to chase for your dreams.