“A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.” – Horrace Mann

It is important to remember messages such as these when you start to feel the pressure of entering high school. Will I make friends? Will I fit in? Will my teachers be too strict? It takes a few years and a couple life lessons to really understand the insignificance of these questions. High school isn’t a popularity contest or a soap opera, it’s a learning institution that will help to mold you into the person that you one day hope to be. It’s a stepping stone on the path to a life that you can be proud of.

Too many high school students are not taking their education seriously and are putting their futures on the back burner. It may seem cool to work in a fast food restaurant or a trendy clothing store while you are living at home with your parents or guardians and your income is solely for material things. But eventually that roof will no longer be over your head and your free ride will be over. You’re faced with the reality of bill payments and rent cheques and that bank account is getting smaller and smaller every month. This is when it hits you – “I should have just toughed it out and stayed in school.”

It takes a lot of hard work and motivation to succeed in this world. A  high paying job won’t just be handed to you on a silver platter  and every dollar in that bank account will have been earned with pride.

Whether you’re feeling bullied or burdened, remember that a high school diploma is an accomplishment that is recognized all over the world and there is nothing that should keep you from it. Keep your eye on the prize and before you know it, you’ll be throwing your hat in the air and anxiously awaiting what comes next!