I spend a lot of time writing with a slant towards adults, so as we approach the beginning of the next school year, I thought it would be appropriate to write post specifically for my students. I am sure that many of them have probably heard this advice, but it never hurts to hammer home the point yet again.
High school is an amazing time in life to really get comfortable with yourself. Sure, it may seem like purgatory, but I can say from personal experience that it really sets the tone for the next phase in your life. With that being said, here are what I feel are the five most important things to remember as you start this next year of school set to the tone of some of my favorite movies (for you visual learners out there).
Carpe Diem! - Seize the Day
If you haven't seen Dead Poet's Society, go to Netflix or Amazon and watch it. If you don't have those, go to your local video store and find it. It is well worth the time and delivers a powerful message - Carpe Diem! Seize the Day. As Robin Williams so eloquently says, "Because we are food for worms lads." You will never get this day back, so do something awesome with it. Seize the opportunity to do something great each and every day. Don't let a day go by where you wonder if anything great happened. Be the type of person that makes a difference, not only in your life, but in the lives of others. As cliche as it sounds, make Carpe Diem your motto and live by it. I promise you that it will make all the difference in the world.
Take Pride in Your School
Get involved at school. Don't pass up an opportunity to do something memorable. All schools provide wonderful opportunities for students to get involved and make memories. BE PRESENT!!! Don't miss an opportunity to get involved. Your high school experience will be permanently fixed in your memory forever. Only you can decide if that memory will be a good one or a bad one.
P.S. If you don't know your school song, learn it. Sing it a games when the band plays. Take pride in your school.
Be Perfect
Probably one of the greatest sports speeches that is totally relevant to all students. Be the type of student this year who can look anyone in the eye and be able to say that you did everything in your power to get something done without making excuses. The overarching premise, however, is have you developed relationships with your peers to the point that they know they can count on you. If you haven't, now is the time to do so. Be that person that people can rely upon. Be that person who is not the weak link. Be that person with clear eyes and a heart full of love. Be perfect.
See the Field
Find your purpose and get after it. You have friends, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and a whole host of other people who can show you, but you are the one who ultimately has to take the steps to get there. Don't view this year as just another bump on the road. Instead, view it as a time to find out what you can do with your life. Many times, opportunities are constantly knocking on your door. See the field and open up a door this year.
How GREAT Are You?
Okay, this really isn't a movie per se, but it is a compilation of movie clips with a clear and concise question. How great are you going to be? If you don't know the answer to this question, now is the time to start figuring it out. Understand that greatness does not come without failure. It is what you learn from failure that makes you become great. Every one of you is destined for greatness, but sometimes, you get in your own way and stifle it. Greatness is not synonymous with fame, but rather, knowing that you have set a path for accomplishing a goal and see it through to the very end. Set those goals now and don't let anyone get in your way.
I believe in all of you and know that each of you are destined for greatness. While high school may be blip on the radar screen in the grand scheme of life, it is the present, so make the most of it now. As Walt Disney so famously said, "Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious...And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
Have a FANTASTIC school year!!!
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