Last year I did the blogs alongside the students, too. While most of the prompts have changed, some have stayed the same. This is one of the ones that I’ve already done: Life Survival Guide – From the 8th Grade and into the Beyond. It’s still pretty much what I would offer you all as advice, and so rather than rewrite it or try to find a twist on it, I thought I’d offer you a collection of some of the best advice people I know beyond school have been given. Each number is a different person’s advice. In some cases I’ve expanded upon their wisdom.
- Don’t let a little public humiliation get in the way of having a good time. Don’t avoid something you think will be fun because it might be embarrassing. Dance in public.
There are approximately zero cool moments in the way Drake dances in “Hotline Bling.” This has not stopped him from dancing however he feels like and making a lot of money in the process. I cannot promise that your dance moves will net you the same results, but regardless, you shouldn’t let embarrassment stop you.
- The textbook is not always right. Don’t forget that was written by a person. People make mistakes. People have opinions that may cloud or influence what they decide to put in a textbook, or how they decide to phrase it.
space - Don’t be afraid to have/go with a backup plan. In my friend’s words, “I spent most of my high school and undergraduate, and part of my graduate, time determine on accomplishing my Master Plan for my life, and when that fell apart, I was kinda in shambles. (And you were there!) people had told me, multiple times, that it would be okay if I had a plan B, but I was convinced that if I didn’t stay laser focused on my main goal, I would fail in the Master Plan. Seeing as I stayed focused and failed in the Master Plan anyway, it would have been really, really good if at any point I had listened to that advice.”
space - Laugh. Laugh all of the time. Make anything and everything easier on yourself and others by just lightening up, especially when it seems almost impossible to do so.
space - Don’t believe everything you think. Just because you thought it, doesn’t mean it’s true. We think all sorts of things about ourselves, others, and our world. Don’t believe you’re terrible because your brain told you so.
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- Apply to competitive jobs/scholarships/colleges/etc. anyway. “somebody has to get it. Might as well be you.”
space - Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Not everything is about you. Not everyone’s problems revolve around you. Even with someone you know well, you only know a fraction of what they’re going through.
space - Read, Read, Read. No matter what the subject, read.
space - Sometimes it is more important to be kind than it is to be right.
space - Don’t be afraid to failDon’t apologize when an apology isn’t necessary
Question everything
Do your research
Practice
space - Put your mask on first before attempting to help others. In other words– make sure you’re safe and able to help before you attempt to help someone else.
Note: a literal face mask may not be helpful in all cases.
- “Ask questions all the time and never pretend that you understand things you don’t actually understand. If you are worried that people will think you’re stupid because you didn’t know something, you’re trying to impress the wrong people.”
spacespace - Maya Angelou said it first: “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
space - It’s okay to not want to be in the limelight. You don’t need to be famous to be happy. Not everyone needs public recognition to feel good.
space - Second hand advice from one of Ms. Hooper’s all-time favorite people: “Artman told me that he thought it was stupid to tell high schoolers these were the best days of their lives- he said he got happier with each year. That gave me a lot of hope then, and it still does. It has proven pretty true for me, too. I hope that pattern has continued for him, cuz the whole concept kinda saved my life.”
(Side note, Artman has saved many lives. He’s a great teacher and a great human– and my favorite high school teacher. If this ever gets back to him or someone who knows him, high five him and tell him Hooper is still trying to be as awesome as he is.)
space - Jump in the deep end. If you don’t know how to swim, you’ll learn.*
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*figuratively. Don’t jump into literal pools if you can’t literally swim.
space - Smile more and don’t be afraid of rejection…or you’ll never have any friends. The advice giver here admits that “The last part wasn’t helpful, but the first part was.”
space - Zen Buddhist Advice: “Wash your bowl.”
And sometimes you just need an inspirational work song (or to run through Philadelphia and high five half the people you see and be joined by a large crowd of children on your daily jog. Everyone has slightly different needs). However you need to get there, just make sure you actually go.
Ms. Hooper's 21st C. Communications Blog 