If I had a time machine: 20 things I would do again in high school.

Credit: Pinterest; Catherine Scott

By Katrina L., 18

1. As a freshman, you are not expected to know what profession or major you want to be. So as a freshman, explore, and hone in later years.

2. If you’re trying to make a “passion project”, here are a few ideas:

   1. Make a podcast about something that you’re passionate about, and interview leaders in the field. Additionally, “leaders” you can interview can be professors, government officials, business leaders, but also, student leaders in colleges and in your neighboring high schools. It’s even better if you create an organization where writing / art / et cetera can be added onto, and where you are able to mobilize a certain community of individuals that are aligned with your mission. Use social media DMs and advertisements, and don’t be afraid to email other high schools to forward the opportunity to their students in gathering an Exec board / members.

   2. Create an organization, or a club that you would be able to grow and branch out to other schools through a chapter system. Make sure that the club allows for growth, and for consistency in how it will be able to thrive in years to come. Additionally, look for outside nonprofits and businesses that can function as a club, sponsor your club as an extension of their organization, or fund your club. There are many opportunities where you can apply for club / project grants as well, which can be helpful, but a grant is not completely necessary.

3. In school clubs are NOT everything, and especially if your school doesn’t have a supportive environment, go outside of your comfort zone and find a fall internship, join a national organization, and more!

4. When you’re making a club, do not make an Executive Board within your club where you include all your friends, even if they are not as passionate about growing your entity. Only work with friends whose goals are aligned with yours, and are actively committed, and work with underclassmen / upperclassmen to involve the widest possible audience. Additionally, try to begin with a very small Executive Board (2-3 members), and grow it in accordance with how your club is thriving. A great question to ask other students is also their connections they would utilize to grow your club, such as their own volunteering organizations or neighborhood groups, and make sure to follow up with this as you grow your club.

   1. If you’re part of an organization, or an honor club that essentially “does nothing”, either work to make a difference and change how the club functions to make sure it becomes more productive, or make your own club only if the organization limits you. Making a copy of an existing club limits your audience and is unnecessary, so join the club and if there isn’t a position for you there, find a niche that would allow you to function as a leader in the space. For example, if the club hosts meetings on Mondays, which limits you, reach out to them and ask if you could manage meetings on a different day to encourage club exposure, or a project that you can work on remotely but still helps the club and its growth significantly.

5. Start researching professors, organizations, hospitals, businesses, etc that you can possibly intern at over the school year or the summer. Reach out to them about 3-4 months in advance, and consistently follow up with them. If they don’t have any opportunities for high school students, which is very likely, ask if they know someone who would be willing to have / looking for a high school intern to do absolutely anything for them.

6. Working with a partner and working independently have both pros and cons. Try to find a partner who makes up for what you lack, such as if you’re creating a scholastic journal and you’re only interested in the art aspect of it, try to find someone who loves to write. This will also ensure that you don’t butt heads or fight, but in a partnership, you should also learn to compromise, keep an open mind, et cetera. If you would like to be the sole president / leader, have a clear outline of how you would like to manage anyone who has a position under you before you start recruiting, and having a yearly schedule / timeline to make sure responsibilities are known and followed through with is also great to have.

7. Get a service job: this can be 5-6 hours a week during the summer or just a paid session after school, but having a job is one of the most enriching and eye opening experiences. Even if you don’t necessarily need the money, earning your own helps you learn independence and self management, and having a job allows you to say that you have very solid work experience when you’re applying for internships and volunteering programs.

8. Join a student led national / international program: this can be a journal, a coalition, or a service program. Work your way up in terms of minor to major positions by interacting with the leaders often and even suggesting new ideas and putting them to work.

9. Join an identity club, or a club where you can learn about other cultures: this is where you can find a community of your own, and if there isn’t that space, don’t be afraid to create it! Your identity club does not need to be composed of people of the same identity, but can also be framed as a learning / cultural exposure club.

10. Join a volunteering program that you truly care about, and would be able to make a difference in / launch a program with. Consistently volunteer with them, make connections and receive a title, and you may even be able to have an internship with them by the summer. Try not to join a volunteering program where you have a limited role, or where it’s very low commitment / low impact.

11. Create a schedule of possible contests and magazines you can submit to. Pick 1-2 of them, and work on them consistently before the due date. Submitting your organization or a group of students you’re involved with to a competition for a grant or recognition is also something you can plan ahead to do.

12. Apply to programs of different interests and calibers for the summer, and plan ahead for your junior / senior year, as they are specific programs that only accept older high schoolers. You can also plan to launch a passion project during the summer, such as writing a book, creating an organization, et cetera, but make sure to have a timeline, and if you have an organization that is sponsoring you, even better.

13. Don’t be afraid to cold email, especially after a rejection: the worst thing they can do is say no. If you get rejected for an internship, a program, et cetera, if there is information, ask them what you can do to improve, and / or if they know any other opportunities for you.

14. Use your Google Calendar to map out appointments, meetings, and due dates. Have the app on your computer and your phone, and have the calendar remind you of these events a week before, 2 hours before, et cetera. Even mark events such as free time or going out with your friends, and when someone is asking you about your availability, you won’t forget it. Put in your appointments ASAP, as soon as you make them.

15. Have a study group, or 1-2 people you can ask questions to for each class. Study with your friends if you don’t have time to do an activity together, and always ask your teacher questions.

16. If you would like to go overseas / international, do it! Going on a service trip is also a great thing to do over a break, and as these trips can be expensive, you can also apply for a grant or scholarship with an international / language organization to make it happen.

17. Know when you’re being taken advantage of. If someone is taking your ideas and claiming them as their own, then you should always stand up for yourself, or if it's an organization or entity that is doing this, do not be afraid to take the work you have done and bring it to another group that will support you instead of taking from you.

18. Keep an open mind in projects and in problem solving. Being cognizant of different perspectives from different people, and also integrating their contributions into the work that is put out will always be good to do. However, also measure look at each suggestion as if it is your own, and if you disagree or aren’t supportive of the idea, voice it. That being said, if you disagree with the suggestion, also be open to having your mind changed by someone’s argument or with their convincing.

19. Take all advice with a grain of salt. Asking for someone’s opinion, and even seeing a common consensus among people you ask does not mean you need to adhere to their opinions. If you believe in something, or an action, then follow through with it. Of course, working with a team is different, but do your best to differentiate between independent thought and influenced actions.

20. Leverage your connections! This means DMing a school alumni, or asking them for advice in applications and more. You can even ask around if there are any internship opportunities with your friends parents - just go for it!