As an eighth grader, I thought that high school would be sunshine and rainbows like my favorite movie, “The High School Musical.” Unfortunately, I was hit with the harsh reality of sleepless nights and countless tears. Thus, as a conscionable member of a productive society attempting to save you from four years of heartbreak and sadness, I am warning you not to advance into high school. 

High school was supposed to be all about partying, socializing and learning fun things, but instead it is all about having to pull all-nighters for tests and have mental breakdowns once a week. Unlike your invigorating experiences in elementary and middle school, high school is no longer just about learning. 

High school is just a stepping stone – a huge stepping stone that we high school students have to climb over to finally reach college. If you fail high school, you fail in life. That’s it. It’s that simple. 

Not only are we students struggling to maintain the desired passing grades while being bombarded with projects, homework and tests, we are also expected to join multiple extracurriculars and clubs. I expected to be inundated with a bunch of singing and dancing numbers at big fancy parties held by the school. But to my dismay, my singing and dancing numbers were met only with stink eyes and loud snickers.

Unlike the stuff you see in movies, it’s not that easy to have a good time in high school–especially when it comes to social interactions. Despite how hard I try to make time to hang out with my friends, our gatherings always end up with all of us deciding not to go at all, since no one can agree on a date nor a time. Plus, it’s really hard to make friends. Despite my friendly-looking appearance of dark, sagging eyebags and greasy unwashed hair, no one wants to approach me. It’s almost as if my appearance alarms them, the way they all shy away from me as soon as I enter through that classroom door. It truly is heartbreaking to see.

Honestly, dropping out of school is probably the best option for students mentally. When the only other option is going to educational prison, I’d rather feel the relief and freedom of being a dropout, unfortunately.

At the end of the day, people must realize that students have been working vigorously since birth. We shed blood, sweat and tears to only receive a handshake or a piece of paper, and if we’re lucky, a pat on the back. So please, with all things put into consideration, refrain from attending high school. You have been warned.