I have been in high school for four short years now, and will be officially done in 10 days. Years and years of hard work have led to this final last day of school, and while I could not be more excited to start the next chapter in my life, there is a part of me that is also teriffed to leave the only people and home I’ve ever known. Since starting high school, I have learned a few things though, about surviving school and life.

1. Try hard in school because it pays off. Colleges offer merit-based scholarships, and boy do they help to bring the cost down. I know it sucks and it is tedious work and some of the things you have to do are stupid as hell, but just do them. Grades are important.

2. It sounds cliche, and you won’t believe it now, but you will meet friends your senior year you wish you’d met your freshmen year. It sucks, but it makes all of your memories that much sweeter. I became really close with some people in my newspaper class this year, and it sucks that I will have to say goodbye so soon, but my senior year has been the best year of high school and I have them to thank for that.

3. Find a passion and run with it. Whether you find it freshmen year or not until your senior year, find something that you love to do, and stick with it because it makes all of the other stuff more bearable. You may stick with it after high school, you may not, but you’ll meet some friends and you’ll create some memories and you’ll be glad you joined.

4. Put sleep before your homework. If you look at your clock and it’s 2 a.m. and you still have math to do and you were supposed to read an article for English and you have to do a worksheet for Chemistry, go to bed. Don’t lose sleep over the stupid and pointless worksheets. Sleep is important, the formative grade that you’ll lose points for one time, is not.

5. Choosing a college is a big decision, don’t put it off. I waited until the end of April to figure it out, and those last two weeks of April were the most stressful weeks of my life. It is a huge choice and commitment, so treat it like such.

6. Have fun, because you will always remember your high school years. This is the time to make the wrong decision and fall flat on your face, because you can always run home; but don’t be stupid either. Take pictures and let loose because one day, when you’re 40, something will make you think of high school and you’ll remember the crazy thing you did with your friends, and you’ll smile thinking about it.

Make your four years of high school count because once they’re gone, they’re gone.