High school is a time to find your place in the billions of people in the world. As exhilarating as AP classes, sports, and extracurricular activities can be, feeling like you will never find your place will always be in the back of your mind. It is important to know that you’re not alone in this, and many teenagers feel the exact same way.
If you’re still in high school and have no idea what your plans are after graduation, you should know that now is the perfect time for self-discovery. You are surrounded by opportunities, now more than ever, and here are a few ways to use them.
Many high schools have programs that lead to college opportunities. These programs include advanced placement (AP) classes, dual enrollment options with local/community colleges, as well as specialized educational opportunities that align with your interests. To learn more about these opportunities, you can talk to your counselor, who can help you get where you need to be.
The biggest piece of advice I received from others before choosing classes freshman year was to choose your electives carefully. A lot of rising freshmen pick classes that they believe will be easy rather than things that truly interest them, which leads to inevitable confusion and makes school boring. Choosing electives that interest you can help you find what your thing after high school could be.
Although many people choose to continue their education further by attending college after high school, it is not everybody’s first option. Many other opportunities can help you find your thing, even if education is not it. Making a list of different paths you can see yourself in the future can be very helpful, especially with guidance.
“I talked to my counselor about things that interested me and what I can do with it in the future,” freshman Sirine de Rambures commented. “As a freshman, I’m still navigating high school, but researching now has helped me get an idea of what to look at when I look for colleges.”
High school is the perfect time to discover yourself, but the point of this article wasn’t to make it sound easy. Finding one thing to stick to for the rest of your life is a big decision. Everybody has their thing. Everyone works at different levels, so even if you haven’t found yours yet, don’t worry. It will come to you one day when you aren’t looking for it.
