I consider these past four years to have been a journey. Granted, many of us can agree that this journey was far from perfect. A freshman year of virtual learning intertwined with half days is not exactly the ideal start to anyone’s high school experience. Even under those masks, the best was yet to come. I am Max Tapper, and I am here to tell you, my fellow Cougars, five important lessons I have learned from my time at Colts Neck High School.
1. Be Grateful for the Friends You Have
It is an unfortunate truth that some people are more noticed or better liked than you are, and perhaps for the right reasons. However, that does not mean no one wants to be on your side. I have been so blessed to know people within my age group who truly accept me for who I am. Whatever the future holds, at least I can share the same jokes with someone else.
2. Be Able to Control Your Emotions
We overthink. We overanalyze. We overreact. It is who we are. Even so, we cannot act in a manner that puts ourselves in a bad light. A minor argument with your best friend can spiral into an enormous tragedy if you do not consider your audience of fellow students and teachers. One outburst can destroy the closest relationships as well as your reputation as a student and individual.
3. Everyone Struggles
You will sometimes face obstacles that may hinder your performance academically or on the field. Even if the grade on your math test does not reflect all those days of studying, you cannot beat yourself up. We all have our weaknesses no matter how skillful we may be. Just because you failed one chemistry quiz does not mean your classmates are smarter than you. More likely than not, they too could have found that quiz hard.
4. Work Hard Every Day
You will have to complete difficult assignments and courses for the rest of your academic career. Some things will be fun for you to learn while others you will have no interest in and probably never use. As much as you may not want to study for that AP Physics exam, you have to grind through it. It is impossible to master everything no matter how much effort you commit. Nevertheless, I think that you will do well if you try.
5. Never Forget Your Past Mistakes
The quirky teenager who got into college seems to be the same ingenious boy who ran at the pool when someone else told him to do so. We own what we do, and some (perhaps many) of the things we have done we should regret. My father says that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same wrong thing over and over again. What you have done will never change, but what you can do now is in your control. Wrong = Fixable.
