Many say high school was the best or worst four years of their lives. To some, they are years that are never forgotten, while for others, they consist of times that are seemingly insignificant to their future. 

The transition from middle to high school is a very scary time for many teens. New opportunities become available and stereotypes cloud many young minds. The media has a big part to play in the expectations surrounding high school. TV shows, movies, and books often separate students into cliques of popular kids or nerds. They portray a social hierarchy where your status is important and known by the entire student body. For example, senior Chloe Feyerick says her expectation of high school was that “the upperclassmen were super mean and would bully underclassmen.” Despite these expectations, she states that she never personally experienced this type of treatment. Feyerick shares that she has had a good high school experience with amazing friends, even through setbacks due to COVID-19. Additionally, The Santa Fe New Mexican states that “on TV, we are often played by gorgeous 30-year-old actors with amazing physiques and clear skin. This flawless representation is incredibly unrealistic, as we are still developing into our bodies and experiencing hormonal shifts that cause acne and countless insecurities related to appearance.” High school involves a key period of adolescence where teens are still finding themselves and growing into new style and expression. It is important that this process is recognized as imperfect as well as appreciative of realistic teenage standards. 

The high school experience has changed significantly over generations. First, the introduction and evolution of technology has greatly affected learning. Now that phones and social media are a normalized part of many youth’s lives, they serve as a distraction in the classroom. According to Insider, “Some teens use their phones during class – and for longer than the few seconds needed to upload a scheduled post. Studies show teens who get distracted on their phones during class understandably do worse on tests.” This makes it difficult for teenagers to receive the same standard of education as previous generations. Additionally, technology has allowed for unconventional career paths in social media, shifting away from the normal college route that students take. College has also turned into a much more time-consuming and expensive process. This appears much differently when “Movies like She’s All That and shows like Gossip Girl show their protagonists easily trying to get into an Ivy League school without breaking a sweat,” according to TheThings. Now, students have much more pressure on their shoulders and often have to endure stressful schedules. When asked if she would rather attend high school now, in the past, or in the future, senior Lauren Lailey says, “Definitely in the past because I would have wanted to experience all four years of high school without COVID-19. I think I would have had better grades if I went to school without my phone.” Lailey continues the point that phones are a distraction in many high schools, but that they are seemingly impossible to escape from due to new advances and normalcy of technology. High schools now have also turned to remote, online learning because of the introduction of COVID-19. Even years after the initial outbreak, students are still dealing with the regulations that may serve as a barrier to their learning experience. 

High school is an important part of personal growth as teens learn how to navigate different social situations and gain independence as they are exposed to adulthood. Personally, high school was a time of self-discovery and a small example of challenges and new situations I may encounter when I am older in college and the workplace. I would not trade these four years for anything, but I also know that my peers and I have so much ahead of us. Also, each year provides different lessons and new challenges. Senior Eli Hodge says that for him, the worst year of high school was sophomore year because “COVID-19 hit in the second semester and there was no research done on it so I isolated myself away from most everyone and was very worried about myself, friends, and family.” Hopefully in future years, students will not have to associate the effects of COVID-19 with their high school experiences, as it is a key part of what many graduates who attend high school today will remember about their time. On the other hand, he says that “freshman year was the best because I literally did not care about my grades at all so school was on my own schedule and I skipped so much class and barely did any homework while thinking there would be no consequences.” This could be important for incoming students to know as grades matter from the very beginning of your high school career.

Lastly, senior Zach Eastern shares his advice to incoming freshmen by stating, “Work hard and make wise choices. Do not look back on high school in 20 years as a time of regrets.” Every senior that was interviewed for this article shared in-depth experiences and connections to their experiences with high school. Not only has it given them important memories, but it has provided them with bits of wisdom that they will carry on for the rest of their lives. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research came to the conclusion that “high school quality matters in college and continues to influence students throughout their college careers.” High school is an extremely important time that shapes students for their future endeavors. For incoming freshmen who are beginning high school, do not be scared by the stereotypes surrounding these next four years. Instead, be excited about the amazing journey you will go on of self-discovery as you gain knowledge, experience, and encounter new people and interests.