Every year the Observer’s seniors are privileged a section in the last newspaper of the year to write about their experiences at CHS. I’m not going to complain about the cliques of high school or share a funny story about my crazy yoga experience (Spenser). In fact, I’m not going to talk about myself at all. My chapter is over. This is all about you and some things you should remember for your next few years as a Bulldog.

Number One: Get uncomfortable.

What I mean is, steer clear from your comfort zone. Try different things and be open-minded. You don’t eat the same meal three times a day, so don’t restrain yourself to only one activity all four years; it’s boring. Create variety even if you may not like it at first. At school, you are confined to making friends based off similar age and location. That’s pretty restrictive already, so why not branch out and meet people who can introduce you to new things?

Number Two: Treat everything as a game.

If you think of your classes as mere games that you need to win, you won’t get demoralized. It might even make learning a little more fun. Juniors, this goes for college too. I’m telling you this right now, and pay close attention, you are going to get into college. It’s a matter of whether you want the journey to be exciting or not. Worrying about other people isn’t going to get you where you want. Applying to college is the first reality check every one of you is going to get. All you can do is play the game with confidence.

Number Three: Don’t have goals.

Yes, you did not just misread that. Sure you can aim to finish first in your next competition or score an 800 on the SAT reading portion, but stop constraining yourself to long-term dreams. You’re 15 or 16 years old, and you’re trying to decide where you want to be in 20 years? So now what? You work back from those goals and figure out what you need to do to get there? Try the other direction. Work up from the accomplishments you make now rather than committing to one you might make in the future.

Number Four: Enjoy it.

Your experiences in high school only come once. As much as you “hate high school” and “can’t wait to get out of here,” CHS is your home and you’re going to miss it. Accept the fact that things are going to change. In fact, I can guarantee that you are not going to leave CHS the same person you were freshman year. You have an awesome journey ahead of you; take advantage of it!