Many of us are familiar with the well-known rom-com “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. Kate Hudson portrays Andie Anderson, the “How to” girl for the spoof Composure issue of Cosmopolitan. Her new editorial task is to make a guy fall in love with her, and then scare him off in just 10 days. Her target is Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey), who also plots to make Andie fall in love with him in the same timeframe in order to land a diamond campaign at work.

In the end, Andie succeeded in writing her article and ended up with the guy in the end after all. In the high school of BSM, some students may want to throw away their high school experience just like Andie wanted to do with a guy. But I am going to share some ways to not regret high school in ten steps.

Step #1: Don’t obsess over high school
Students of the Gen Z generation have grown up with television series like Girl Meets World, Liv and Maddie, and Jessie. Relationship issues, high school drama, and other problems are all showcased in these shows and have created a stereotype of what high school is like. However, students should avoid letting high school drama affect them. The turmoil you are experiencing in high school is not going to make or break your future because high school is only a small portion of your life.

Step #2:Do your homework
One of the easiest ways to get behind in school is not doing your homework. I think I can say for most students here at BSM that we wish homework didn’t exist but in reality, it does exist. So do your homework so you will have a better chance at getting a good grade in the class whether it be on projects, quizzes, or tests.

Step #3: Don’t have the attitude of “It’s too late now…”
Many times, when students perform poorly on a test, they automatically come to the conclusion that the rest of their life is inevitably doomed, and they are unable to recover from that one test. I think the best advice for this is it’s never too late to keep trying. Unless it’s a final exam, there will always be homework and another test in the future where you can redeem yourself.

Step #4: Go to school!
This step might seem quite obvious to people, but you would be surprised how many people just skip out on school towards the end of senior year. By the second semester, seniors are most likely already into their colleges and the idea of there’s nothing left for them to do here becomes a prominent attitude for students. But you should go to school and not fake sick because seniors should appreciate the short amount of days we have left as high school students before they come to an end.

Step #5: Expand your circle
The tendency of students in high school to become enmeshed in their friendship circles is normal. It actually depends on your particular tastes whether you prefer having fewer, higher-quality friends or more, lower-quality friends. Students, on the other hand, should hope to finish high school with the feeling of knowing the personality of their peers they have just spent four years around. Students should make every effort to engage with students in their classes that they may not see outside of school.

Step #6: Communicate
People have always said, “Communication is key” and I agree with this statement. When you do miss school, it is important to communicate with your teachers about what work you need to be making up so you do not fall behind.

Step #7: Get involved in school activities
This can be a wide array of things, like school sports teams, school clubs, or even participating in the school musical. Getting involved with school activities can really help make your high school experience better. Because it can give you an outlet away from school work and also introduce you to more people that are also interested in the same activities as you.

Step #8: Be yourself
No one wants to pretend to be someone, but sometimes in high school, we get sucked into pretending to be someone we are not. A good way to get the full real experience of high school is to be yourself and don’t be ashamed of who you are. Be friends with who you want to be friends with, wear what you want to wear, and express yourself the way you want.

Step #9: Step out of your comfort zone
You are only a high school student once in your life. This is the best time to try new things. In high school, you should try to step out of your comfort zone by talking to new people, taking new classes, trying new clubs, etc.

Step #10: Go to school events
During high school, make sure you make the most of what your high school is offering. Participate in school spirit events like dressing up for football games, going school-wide pep fests, and engaging with classmates at school dances. High school goes by fast and soon enough you will be walking across the stage to get your BSM diploma.