Over the past four years at Shawnee Mission West High School I have learned a lot of things that will help me in the future, and a lot of things that won’t.

1. Doing homework before the test day is actually important.

Crazy right? I don’t know why this took me so long to realize, especially in math classes, but most test questions will come right off of homework assignments. So yes, homework actually is important.

2. Public Display of Affection (PDA) is actually really gross.

Who wants to step out of their classroom after a stressful test or boring lecture and run into people making out in the hallway like they’ll never see each other again. School is not the place to profess your love to your significant other, and no one cares to see that. Let’s keep it clean West.

3. Parking lot etiquette shows what kind of person you are.

Drivers are supposed to let every other car into the lines to exit the parking lot. I can’t even count how many times I have been stuck in the parking lot because rude drivers are only thinking of their want to get home over mine. I actually have places to be at 3 or 3:30 PM after school so just remember that some people have places to go too.

4. Teachers can actually be cool.

I have had a lot of teachers that I can have a real conversation with – not just those who ask how your day is going. I love knowing that if I am having a bad day or a good day I have teachers I can talk to about anything.

5. Sporting events need to be a priority.

Now that my time to be in the student section at football, basketball, soccer, and all other sporting events has expired, I can’t help but regret missing some of the games. The atmosphere at these games is unlike any other. You never know, the team may end up winning a state championship.

6. Finals should not determine your grade.

Most final exams are only worth 15% of your grade, so they shouldn’t be that big of a stress at the end of the semester. Try and avoid borderline grades if at all possible because those are the ones that will be thrown off by a failed final.

7. Challenge yourself, but not too much.

I have taken almost all of the AP/Honors courses available at West and made it through. However, there are many students that literally took every AP/Honors class and they said that they regret it. Now that the determination of class rank is being changed, don’t kill yourself when making your schedule for the next year.

8. Be nice to your parents.

Your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or whoever you live with are going to be your biggest helpers. I guarantee that if you are having trouble with homework, one of your parents will help you figure out that problem because they want you to succeed.

9. Get involved.

There are so many clubs and activities to participate in at West and being involved can introduce you to so many new people and ideas. Don’t think about how others are going to react if you join a certain club because if you are passionate about something, go for it.