If I were to be asked which era of my academic life was the most memorable, it would definitely be my high school years. I met many people, discovered myself, and experienced numerous events that shaped who I am today. This blog post comes from a prompt by @ galenkp, where I chose to share my high school years.
To begin with, I considered my high school years an era of reclaiming my true self. From being a timid and quiet kid in elementary school, I transformed into an active and expressive young man in high school. While I had once sat at the back of the room, merely existing, in high school, I became the talk of the teachers, actively participating in class discussions, sharing my ideas, and even leading the entire class. These behaviors helped me top my class and move to a higher section, where I met people who aligned with my character and values.
As a studious person, I find validation in the compliments I receive when I achieve high scores on my exams. This wasn't always the case; in elementary school, I often received fairly satisfactory or sometimes disappointing remarks from my teachers. I can't pinpoint the exact moment when I began finding happiness in achieving good grades. However, I do remember having a circle of friends who enjoyed excelling in class. We would compare our grades and treat it as a friendly competition. I believe it was from this environment that I developed a habit of aiming for good grades and finding validation in academic success. Consequently, I brought this behavior to high school. Moving up to a star section where I met people who were also studious and competitive in academics further ingrained my positive attitude toward studies.
Furthermore, being continually exposed to people who are bookish, I can say that my intellect drastically improved during this era. The reason behind this, I believe, is that I became fixated on learning because my environment encouraged it. In my opinion, the more you indulge yourself in studying, the more you learn. For example, I remember my classmates and I organizing study sessions for subjects we didn’t completely understand. Usually it’s the Math subject — we will argue what is the correct process of a specific equation that leads to that specific answer. Sometimes, if we were intrigued or curious about the next topic we would tackle, we would do advanced research and reading. This became part of our classroom dynamics, leading us to learn more, improve, and excel in our exams.
Some may say that people who are too focused on academics lack social interactions. However, despite being serious about our studies, we formed a strong bond. As a matter of fact, although we have our own circle of friends, we can blend into other circles, which shows how close we are. We can also connect to other students and have fun with them.
Despite the competitive environment, friendships blossomed. This is because for me, when everyone shares the same values, it's easier to understand each other and form connections. Such as, every time we struggled, we still had ways to have fun. Additionally, the fact that we stayed in one classroom helped a lot. I also consider this moment in my life a rebirth of my social life, as I experienced going out with friends, attending several hangouts, sleeping over at friends' houses, and having overnights. One memorable moment I can share is the time we pranked whoever fell asleep first during an overnight. My friend, who fell asleep first, woke up with doodles all over his face. He got mad, but we laughed it off afterward.
High school was when I believe my character began to develop. It was a time when I started to question myself, my behavior, and my values—“Is this really me?”, “Is this what I truly want?”, “Do I act based on rationality?”, “Is my behavior correct?”, “Should I maintain these values?” These were some of the questions that occupied my mind. As a result of this ponderings, I decided to delve deeper into who I was and to improve on areas where I could still grow.
This is when I began to explore new opportunities. For instance, I joined several school organizations, including the Student Council, because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and face my fear of public speaking. I remember awkwardly fumbling as I went from room to room to campaign for myself and my team. Despite my nervousness, I persisted for the sake of challenging myself. Fortunately, I survived the campaign period and won against the other candidate by just a few votes. This moment made me proud and proved to myself that I could accomplish things I once thought were impossible. I spent the rest of my high school years as a member of the Student Council, serving the students, creating connections, and continually improving myself.
To wrap up, my high school years are the most memorable part of my academic life, not just because of the enjoyable experiences I had, but also due to the valuable lessons, realizations, and friendships I gained. I can’t imagine who I would be today without those years. Indeed, formative years of my life.
All photos are my own unless otherwise stated.
