A letter to my dearest humans on the night before they start high school…10th grade

To my dearest humans on the night before they start high school,

As you know, mom has been a teacher for a long time. As you start year 10 of school, I begin year 40 (gulp). That includes of course, my years as a student and the 22 have spent teaching high school.

As someone who has spent a considerable time in a high school, I have some thoughts, some advice and some general knowledge I’d like to pass on to you as you start this new chapter. These are in no particular order, just some things that are weighing on my mom/teacher heart.

First, know you are uniquely and deeply loved. Not just by your parents either…but many have watched you grow, including to name a few; siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, teachers and even your friend’s parents. You have a lot of people rooting for you…and that’s pretty darn cool. Try to remember this when it doesn’t feel that way and at some point…it will.

To that point, when it feels like someone is rooting against you or isn’t signing up for your fan page, it probably says more about them than you, hold your head high, know your own truth and worth and be able to walk away from someone who isn’t your person (harder than it sounds…see me or a trusted adult when that happens).

Work hard. Everyone benefits from hard work and it will take you farther than just pure talent/smarts when the talented/smart people don’t work hard. Plus, people like hard workers and that will create opportunity for you.

Have JUICE. Everyone loves a person with some energy. Be an energy provider, not an energy vampire.

You are allowed to have a bad day. Own it. BUT…don’t let your bad day or bad mood bring everyone around you down because remember, we don’t want to suck other people’s energy (energy vampires). Ever.

When you walk down the hall (or really anywhere you go) make eye contact with people and smile. A smile literally costs you nothing (and it’s better for your face than a frown). Your smile may be the most positive interaction someone has all day.

We are all connected. So, the smile, the offer to sit with someone at lunch, the good morning, the use of someone’s name when seeing them, the high five at practice…all of it connects us to others and EVERYONE craves and needs human connection. Be a connector of people. Those people save lives and lead others to Heaven.

When you enter a classroom, say hello to your teachers, and when you leave tell them “thank you” or “have a good day” or even a simple “goodbye.”. Your teachers are human beings too and they like to feel like the people they are worrying about all day see them in return.

Ask for help. Teachers get into this profession because they love kids and want to help them. We actually like when a student asks for help. It is NOT a sign of weakness; it is actually a sign of strength. So, be strong.

Get involved. It can be sports, music or in the multitude of clubs that exist in high school, but you must be involved in something.

Be organized. High school can be overwhelming at first…8 different classes, rooms and teachers…WRITE your homework down…it will change your entire experience.

Be KIND. Everyone you will encounter carries a cross you know nothing about, so be kind. Always.

Ask a lot of questions and participate in class. When you are more actively involved in class you learn more, it goes by faster and your teachers like you (can’t hurt that grade thing).

Take care of yourself…that means getting enough sleep (the experts recommend 10 hours for someone your age), something many high schoolers struggle with. Drink enough water and eat right. You are going through a lot of changes.

Take care of others. High school can be hard for a lot of people. Don’t contribute to that problem (Revisit #12). If you see someone being wronged, ostracized or hurt, do the right thing.

Be productive during study hall and any time you get to do homework during the school day. Activities after school make the homework thing hard and if you get it done during the day…you will thank yourself later.

Build new relationships, make new friends. Your circle of friends can be wide or small…but find your people.

While you are making all the new friends, make time for your family. Trust me when I tell you that they are not ok with dropping you of in that large building full of new people they don’t know. Make time to spend with them while in high school. They will always be your biggest fans.

Don’t change who you are for someone else. That never ends well and you are the way God made you…which is perfect. If someone doesn’t like you for you…they aren’t your person and that’s ok.

Have an attitude of gratitude. Studies show that people who wake up in the morning and verbalize two things they are grateful for are more optimistic, healthy and successful people. Even better, write them down.

Stay off your phone as much as possible. I assure you nothing good comes from it (if you’d like proof/statistics I have that for you), if you desire human connection…hang out with humans.

When the going gets tough (and it will) remind yourself that you CAN do hard things.

Celebrate other people’s awesome. The sky would be awfully dark with only one star.

Have fun, but while doing so, make good choices. This can be hard in high school, but it is possible.

You hear your own voice more than anyone else’s. Did you know humans have between 12,000-60,000 thoughts a day and over 80% of them are negative? You have the power to change that in your own brain. Be positive. Be kind to yourself. Then watch…great things will happen.

Finally…PRAY. Go to church, pray a rosary, spend time with our good LORD in prayer. He’s got your back and that’s pretty good company to keep.

While I could go on and on and on with this list this, I will keep it at that for tonight.

As you enter your high school, I have complete faith that you will learn to be the best version of yourself in these halls. We love you immeasurably and we are so completely proud of you.

Mom and Dad