Admit it, you are going through high school just trying to survive each day. Wake up, class, homework, bed, repeat. You are just trying to get through these last few years (or year) before what you believe is “ultimate freedom.”

There is a saying, “stop and smell the roses,” meaning that sometimes you become blindsided by your daily routine and ignore the reminders to enjoy the little and unique things, or to make memories you’ll cherish.

“Being involved in activities throughout your high school career makes you a happier person, because you don’t just look at school as just a place where you go in and make sure you do your homework and turn it in and taking tests. You look at it as a place where there’s other opportunities,“ Jenna Green explains.

The same applies for high school. When you are an adult do you  really want to look back and your only highschool memories be studying, sleeping, and watching movies?

Of course, laying around the house is nice; you can wear your pajamas and watch Grey’s Anatomy reruns all evening, but you can do that any day. Try swapping that afternoon nap for the big soccer game or the black light dance, you wont regret it.

“You should experience everything, as much as you can, anything that you can only do in highschool you should do at least once” Senior Keyshon Williams said.

Also, try to join clubs and activities on campus. It is a great way to get involved with the school. It doesnt mean you will have to lose control of your classes and grades, just try to have something else to look forward to at RHS.

Lauren Clark noted that, “One of the important things to learn in high school is time management, and how to balance whatever you can and it’s about making decisions especially if something is not benefitting you to drop it, high school is about finding that balance.”

High school is the ideal place to find yourself and discover who you really are. Don’t miss those opportunities to learn something new about yourself. You never know, you could look back and be thankful you took theatre because of how much it has helped you with public speaking, or Science Olympiads team can show you that you have a knack for science.

“You should try to expand yourself, when you go into high school you don’t know yourself very much, and it will make it easier to find yourself from experiencing yourself and knowing what you like, by your senior year things seem less complicated because you know where you fit” Keyshon Williams continued.

Now is the time to create memories, the mistakes that lead to good lessons, and the lessons that you will share with your kids. If you do not now, when will you? Before you leave high school, go to games and dances, make connections with your teachers, and take risks that are way out of your comfort zone. This is the time and place for you to blossom and set the foundation for your life to come.