If You Knew Then What You Know Now: 6 Things We Don’t Realize Until It’s Too Late

1. Quality is more important in any friendship than quantity could ever be.

As the years pass you’ll realize that it is not about the amount of friends one has, but rather the quality of the friendships. All too often your friendships from high school fade, but the ones that are of sturdy quality will be the ones which last. Hold on to those. 

2. If there is anything you can be sure you won’t regret, it’s being kind to each person you meet. 

Kindness towards others is something that tends to fall through the cracks, way more often than it should. Choosing to be nice and kind to those around you is one of the best things you can do, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll remember each time you chose to be anything but kind to an individual. Everyone is fighting their own battle. Be kind.

3. Popularity at school won’t actually get you anywhere.

As much as you may want to (or have wanted to) be a part of that “popular” group of people at school, in the end it doesn’t matter which group you associated with. We all long for acceptance from others, but when it comes down to overall life satisfaction — being popular doesn’t have anything to do with it.

4. Most of what you have to be most thankful for are things you never realize — and gratitude, above all else, gets you places. 

As much as you may want to leave the house you grew up in or your hometown, don’t forget to be thankful for the places and people who made you who you are. Warm meals on the table, present parents, an education itself are all things that are not guaranteed to you. Stop and realize everything you naturally take for granted. 

5. You choose to live in fear. 

During my high school years, I found myself plagued by fear of what others would think, fear of the outcome and plain fear of the unknown — when in reality that fear wasn’t getting me anywhere. Look at what you fear, look at it square in the eyes and have faith that you are stronger than whatever that fear may be telling you. 

6. You have so much life ahead of you, even though this moment feels like that’s all there is. 

All too often we get caught up in the fact that one part of our life is coming to an end, that we forget the life that is laid out directly in front of each of us. Letting this chapter in your life come to a close can be tough, but it’s not the “be all, end all.”