Finals

Prepare yourselves....finals are almost here.  Everybody dreads them, but once they're over you get the best feeling of relief.  As long as you study and try your hardest, everything will work out okay.  Do don't stress too much or you'll only make them harder than they really are. Just get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. I'm sure you'll do great. Good luck everyone!

Group Projects

Group projects can be fun if you're with your friends or people you get along with, but they can be extremely challenging and stressful if your group is dysfunctional at all.  My advice for difficult group projects is to take them seriously and stay on top of them.  You never want to rely on everybody else in your group and find out that it's wrong right before it's due.  Group projects are just a part of high school and of life, so don't procrastinate and try your hardest.  Even if your group is less than helpful.

Getting Behind

There is nothing like being a month from summer and realizing that you still have so much work to finish before the last day of school. The stress reaches maximum levels during the last few weeks when everybody, including the teachers, is crunching to get everything in in time. My advice is stay on top of all your upcoming assignments so you don't have to worry about last minute panic while you're also trying to study for finals. Trust me, less stress is a very good thing.

Starting at the bottom

Everybody remembers what it felt like to be a freshman. To be the bottom of the food chain and pecking order of high school.  To me, freshman year feels like it was only yesterday, but I've worked hard over the years and I feel like I have come so far to be a junior.  I can only imagine what it will feel like to be a senior, the top of the school, in just a few short weeks.  But whatever glory and confidence comes with such a position, I know that it will be short lived.  The sad part about being at the top of any pecking order is that there is nowhere for you to go but down.  You only get one year at the top before you are reduced to a measly freshman or rookie again in college or whatever career you might go into.  So, seniors, enjoy the power while you have it, because nothing lasts forever once you head out into the real world.

The Truth

Chances are that almost every person in your school whom you look up to is having the same doubts and self-conscious thoughts that you are. That may not be such a comforting thought, but at least you can be sure that you're not alone and there will always be someone to sympathies with. 

Too Fast, Too Furious

Possibly one of the most exciting things that will happen to you during your high school years will be getting your drivers license. There's nothing like the freedom and power you get from having control of a car. The possibilities and destinations seem infinite. But, as uncle Ben wisely said, "With great power comes great responsibility". Having a driver's license is a privilege not an absolute right, and most people don't understand what that means until they get it taken away. Teenage drivers seem to think that they are invincible until they get into their first accident or get their first ticket. I know I'm guilty of this too, but the first time I got a ticket for speeding, I realized just how helpless I would be if I got my license taken away. Not only would I not be able to drive myself places for fun, but I would have no way of getting to my job. The thought of not making money and having to spend the rest of my life in my parents house was a wake up call that got me to slow down and be more considerate of other drivers on the road.

Valentines Day

Personally, I've never been a huge fan of all the heart shaped candies and sappy poems that make up this classic holiday. But it comes every year so we all better get ready. If you are single this year for Valentines day, don't fret. It's probably because nobody in your high school has realized what a catch you really are, which means they don't deserve you anyways! Don't get depressed if nobody brings you a bouquet of roses, you still have plenty of years to find the romance you're looking for in life, and it probably won't be anybody you meet in high school. If you do have a sweetheart this year, however, think of something original. You want your lover to always remember how much effort you put in to the gift rather than just how big or expensive it was. Valentines Day can also be an opportunity to find out just how serious your relationship is. Definitely make sure you're on the same page before you rush out and buy some promise rings. Finally, if your crushing hard on somebody in your school, Valentines Day is a great opportunity to make your feelings known. Most high schools do some sort a "candy-gram" thing where you can send a note or flower to your crush anonymously or not. If you try this and tell your crush how you feel about them, you might just find that your feelings are returned. If they're not, the world won't end. It's only high school anyways.