Nobody said high school is easy. But nobody said it was this tough either. High school is way different than the movies, and “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” was way off.

In high school, each grade has a different responsibility, if you will. For the freshmen, it is to annoy every other grade by trying way too hard to fit in and be cool. For sophomores, it is revenge year on the freshmen, as they try to fight for attention with the other grades. For juniors, it is to get things done and actually start focusing on life beyond high school. For seniors, it is to be top Eagle and rule over all the underclassmen. And to stress over college.

So how does someone survive the tricky waters of  high school?

For starters, just be yourself. Freshmen, do not try so hard to fit in and be cool because that is what makes you stand out in a negative way. It is okay to try and find yourself, venture out into new experiences, and discover who you are. That does not mean starting fights with upperclassmen by saying you are tougher or smarter, nor does it mean to be scared of the other grades.

Sophomores kind of get forgotten. It is unintentional, obviously, yet still happens. Just embrace sophomore year. It is the easiest, so focus on school. Trying to get in trouble all the time just gets annoying after awhile, and there is no point. Soon, you will be taking on junior and senior year where even regular classes are difficult. Use this year to relax a little…

Juniors, stress is a major issue. This is the time that the adults tell you to sit down and plan your life out, and if you are anyone like me, you do not really know what you want to do. I like to think I have it all planned out: graduate, move to Florida, go to college, and become a marine biologist. However, there are many factors I have to think about. Stressful to think about, but necessary. Some have it all planned out, and that is good. But for those of us who do not, take the time to stop and think. You have two years left. Focus on getting good grades, so you can graduate, and start thinking about your life. Obviously, have fun, too. You have to gain experiences while you are young and can get away with things.

Seniors, this is your last year, and I do not know about you, but I would not want to spend it getting in trouble or being stressed out 24/7. Take a break from being a teenage rebel or stressing out over senior project and college applications. Have fun while you still have the time, too.

For all grades, the best advice I could give is to find yourself first, and then focus your goals, whether it is school or doing something you love. Happiness is a hard emotion to gain in high school, so doing something that makes you happy is worthwhile. Make sure you are okay with yourself before you try and change into twenty different people. Learn to manage your time better, so you can do a little bit of everything. Do not give up this opportunity. You have to learn from your mistakes while you can get away with it because you cannot do that so easily at college.