High school is a place where teenagers spend four years maturing and finding their true selves while going through different stages in order to find themselves and where they fit in.

As teenagers continue to grow as individuals, it is common to look upon others to give their opinions on numerous things.

Whether that be a new outfit for school or if you should say something to the cute boy or girl staring at you.

It is often that we look for others to give insight or even make difficult decisions for us.

But what people need to remember is that it is OK to go against what is considered normal.

Everyone is different and that is what makes us unique. Not everyone is always going to follow a new trend or dress a certain way to please others.

Being original is OK. It’s not mandatory for all of us to be the same. If it were, the world would be extremely boring.

It is very common to judge our decisions based on what others would do.

As we go through life, it is normal to look upon our peers to give us their opinions on things. But what others need to remember is that they can’t always make the choice for someone when times get hard.

Just because you don’t necessarily agree with what someone says or does, it doesn’t mean that we should hate on one another.

It’s completely normal to not see things the same way others do. We all view circumstances and scenarios in various ways.

What may be crucial to your life may be overlooked by someone else. We all prioritize things differently.

So when things get tough, make sure to remember that we are not all the same. We are all unique in our own ways, and you should embrace this rather than trying to act like someone you’re not.

Over the course of the three years I have spent at KHS, one of the biggest lessons I have learned is the importance of confidence and pushing myself.

It’s crucial to have confidence in everything you do, because if you don’t then you don’t apply to tasks 100 percent.

I have realized that with acquiring confidence in school, it takes a great effort, meaning you have to be willing to take the extra mile if you don’t understand something. It doesn’t ever hurt to ask your peers or teachers for extra assistance.

In order to receive good grades, it takes studying and paying close attention in class.

After my freshman year, I also began to push myself in order to be the best version of myself by taking harder classes.

Although the classes may be challenging and stressful, they make me a better student.

Set your own expectations and goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to accomplish them because, in the end, being the best possible version of yourself is what matters most.