I appreciate friendships most of all

I’ve learned a lot of stuff in high school. Really, I have. I shouldn’t be telling you this of course, because, as everyone knows, it is the time honored duty of every high school student to testify to the outside world that absolutely no learning whatsoever takes place within the cursed walls of this nation’s public high schools.

It is not until many years later that we are allowed to look back on our education fondly and see the merit of what we have learned. I, however, am willing to break my student vow and admit to you that I have, in fact, learned stuff.

I learned that World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945. I learned why a marble falls if you drop it off a desk and how to find out how fast it is falling. I learned how to speak a foreign language. I learned how to manipulate numbers and make them do things that I never knew could be done. I learned what the deal was with Watergate.

Yes, it’s true, in the last four years I have learned many things. Some lessons may prove to be more useful than others, but it cannot be denied that knowledge has been imparted unto me. But that’s not what high school is about, is it? The true lessons of high school, the ones that all of us will use regardless of what may lie ahead for us are not part of the curriculum. The most meaningful life lessons for me have come from the people I’ve known and the relationships I’ve formed.

I’ve always done well in school. I have never had any trouble passing those tough tests or getting good grades. It has always come naturally for me. It makes sense. It is easy. I only wish the other side of high school was easy. You may have to study hard for an exam or put a lot of work into a project, but once you are done with it that’s it, you’re done. The points go in the grade book and you don’t have to worry about it anymore. People need constant attention. You can’t establish a relationship and then expect it to be there months later. They require constant evaluation and adaptation. Even worse, there is no grading system. You never know how you are doing until it is too late. It takes a lot of work. It is confusing. It is hard.

I was fortunate enough to come into high school with a great group of friends, and I have made more along the way. I have developed close relationships not only with students but with teachers and coaches as well. The people around me have taught me in four years more than I could discover from a lifetime of academic learning. They taught me that people are generally nice if you are nice to them. They taught me that respect is the foundation for any relationship. They taught me how to have fun. They taught me not to take them for granted. They taught me when the right time is to speak up and when to keep my mouth shut.

These lessons are much more difficult than the ones in the classroom. It is easy to memorize a date or a formula and regurgitate it for a test. It takes a lot more work to form a friendship. Luckily, high school gives us an opportunity to learn all this in a relatively safe and controlled environment.

Our classes taught us the stuff that will help us in the next stage of our lives. Our classmates taught us the lessons that will be the foundation for the real knowledge that we will need in every stage of our lives.