In my time at South, I took eight AP classes, held leadership positions in two extracurricular clubs, played both school and club sports, scored highly on standardized testing and worked three jobs. Needless to say, I was aiming to win big in the game of college admissions. After all of that, the stress, the tears, the homework nights that kept me up until sunrise, I was not offered admission to a single one of my top schools.

Walking through these halls for the first time can seem magical. Middle school is over and you get to experience the feeling of being ‘so old’ and ‘so mature’.You are not. You do not know as much as you think you do. I can guarantee you that your perspective and goals will change before you walk the stage. Learn from the mistakes of others as well as your own, and appreciate the advice from those who genuinely value your well-being. Keep an open mind and take any opportunity given to you to expand your mindset.

Use your time to pursue what actually interests you, and not what you think would interest admissions officers. High school is the time to grow as both a student and an individual. The time to explore your interests and consider all fields as possible career options. Don’t fall victim to the pressures inflicted by our community. You are free to pursue a future of your choice, conventional or not.

“Take advantage of South’s opportunities,” “stack your resume,” “challenge yourself”—all common phrases you will hear as you begin your high school career, each setting your focus towards college. Phrases I heard and followed as rules. What they don’t tell you is the degree to which they are true, which is far less than imagined.

Yes, hard work is important, but what seems to always be overlooked is the role that luck can play. You have no control over the desk your application lands on, and it can sway your application in any direction. So work hard, but do it to build your character because it may not work out in your favor when it comes to admissions. Still, rejection is redirection and everything can be taken as a valuable lesson if you choose optimism. As for me, I am thrilled to continue my academic career at an incredible university that I would not have considered had I not been redirected.

Everyone swears high school is “the worst four years of your life”. Though they are not entirely wrong, it is all relative. High school can genuinely be whatever you make of it. With that being said, I implore you to follow your interests and pursue the things that make you happy. Most of all, trust that you are young, you are learning and everything will work out with time. Though I wouldn’t say it “flies by”, time does take on a new form looking back on it all, so enjoy it while you’re here.