<p>Okay....so I agree that MOST of the "popular" reach their peak in high school, and that hanging out with them usually means a lot more partying and a lot less studying, but....</p>
<p>I used to have the same attitude as most of the kids on this board. The "I don't care about what anyone else thinks about me, college will be funner, getting good grades is the most important, etc"...but during my junior year I realized that I can have fun NOW and in college. I still get good grades and take hard classes, but I have a much better social life. I realized that my "geeky" friends don't have much in common with me, and that we were only hanging out together because we had been friends for so long. I am still friends with them, but now I have other friends. Some are very popular, some drink, some smoke, some fail classes. I experimented a bit and I'm glad I did so I won't go into college completely naieve...but I also learned a lot abotu myself, and a lot of my ambitions have changed. I know it sounds horrible, but for the first time ever, I care abotu teh way I look and I like having a lot of guy friends. I've become a lot more interesting, experienced, and accepting. </p>
<p>What I guess I'm trying to say is...somtimes it isn't just about getting good grades. Try your best to have tons of fun in high school AND in college...I mean why waste 4 years working for something that isn't a guarentee?</p>
<p>yeah dont worry about being popular just join like a club or something or a team like I did and just be friends with people who share the same intrests as you. Dont worry about what people think just be yourself. Think about your future, i know at my school the popular kids go to parties and drink then they get caught and they get all these marks on their record and they are suspended from sports and stuff. when you make decisions in high school think long term.</p>
<p>wow surfette like same exact thing happened with me junior year. except it was really good bc my two best friends had the same type of realizations at the same time also soo it was nice that i didn't have to completely switch friends or anything</p>
<p>Like I think that you should have fun in high school and stuff but I dont think that you should do stupid things that will bring fun for one night, like drinking while under contract for a sport. Why work so hard and then have it all ruined if you are caught but i agree with you about the fun part.</p>
<p>dont worry so much about freshman year. but do your best sophomore and especially junior year. and dont slack off senior year either. colleges know about senioritis. in fact my best year acedemically was my senior year.</p>
<p>and dont worry about popularity. its a gay high school thing. u wont see it anywhere else in ur life.</p>
<p>1.) dont carry a freshman backpack (people will make fun of you)
2.)love yourself for who you are. Just think, many of the super popular and pretty girls are airheads. Having a brain will last you forever, unlike beauty or popularity. Protect your brain from drugs/alcohol or you'll definitly regret it. Or maybe you won't regret it when you end up being a pothead and never actually getting anywhere in life.</p>
<p>Oh and popularity....yeah let's see...by the time you become a sr....all that time you spent being popular will feel like wasted emptyness...so you might as well be that kid with the three good friends anyway cuz it'll happen sooner or later</p>
<p>make lots of friends before you even consider dating anyone.</p>
<p>I started going out with this guy sort of early on in freshman year, and so I didn't have many friends before that--we always hung out with his friends--after we broke up, I basically had, like, 3 friends. Bad idea.</p>
<p>I guess that only counts for schools where no one really knows anyone (magnets, charters, privates)</p>
<p>join clubs freshman year. All I did freshman year was sports. I think it's going to kill my apps.</p>
<p>Always do your homework and do not procrastinate because it'll overwhelm you at the end. Try not to stay up until 6:00 in the morning to finish a economics research paper due that day. </p>
<p>Start right from the beginning, freshman year, because the grades you make then will follow you to senior year. Have discipline in yourself to study even though you don't feel like doing it. </p>
<p>Join at least one club or extracurricular activity so enrich your high school experience, have fun, and meet people.</p>
<p>Don't be too influenced by what others think of you. Don't conform and try to be 'cool' because that is very un'cool'. Just be who you are.</p>
<p>Uh study study study! Honestly, people will respect you for it by the time you're a senior. Don't be like the droves of uneducated freshmen. Don't be obnoxious, don't wear three shades of eyeshadow, and most of all, don't forget your writing utensil</p>