High school can be anything you make it. If you choose, you can be a straight A student. If you choose, you can take all college-level courses and have no free time. If you choose, you can skate by, barely passing. No one can control you at this age, no matter how hard they try.

That said, high school is that last step before the real world, meaning your high school choices matter. You can be proactive and ease yourself into the amount of college-level work that will be expected of you once you enter college, as I did, or you can take all of the easy classes and choose not to attend a postsecondary institution. It is up to you. Yeah, your parents may pressure you to work hard and do well in school, but they physically can not force it.

With this in mind, underclassmen, take advantage of next year’s advisory period so you can plan for your future. Explore your options. Avoid stress and start looking at scholarships and colleges as soon as possible and create a list of obligations in the order of importance. For example, for those of you planning to attend a school known for its rigorous academic programs, put school and extracurricular obligations at the top of your list; taking long shifts at work to pay for college won’t matter if you can’t get into the schools you apply for. You have to take charge of your own future. No one can do it for you.

For me, I’m excited to move out and be my own person. Yeah, I may miss working on the yearbook, but being one of the editors these past two years helped shape who I am today. It allowed me to explore the world of journalism while talking to people and learning about their choices and plans. I may not plan to major in the field, but journalism gave me a unique medium in which to explore my options. Not everyone takes the opportunity to look into potential career paths as recommended. But that’s just part of growing up and choosing your own path.

While I am ready to be done with the pointless drama of high school, it taught me everyone is different. It’s okay to just skate by or set your sights up high for success. Just make sure it is your own choice and that you will be satisfied with the outcome.