Lessons Learned From High School Essay

Perhaps the single most valuable lesson I have learned in my years from high school until now is the merit of surrounding myself with people whom I share common principles. This lesson has dominated the choices I’ve made, mainly in regards to the schools I have attended and the different groups I have decided to partake in. Growing up, I would always hear the saying ‘show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are.’ But how precise is that statement? The ambiguity in my sentiments towards this saying has resulted in me shedding little to no light on the topic. I grew up with a stepmom who wanted the world to think she was austere to the point where she gave me the impression that I was merely a mirror, living her life. She made all decisions …show more content…
I think my maturity had a lot do with that. As I got older, I became more focused on myself and my future. I think the number of ‘bad friends’ that I had in school was beyond exorbitant in comparison to the number of people who who had a drive for positivity and success. I had friends who lied, snuck out, failed classes repeatedly, smoked, you name it. This is not to say I am a perfect soul, or maybe it is, but I had never done any of those things. Besides being allowed to stay out late when my stepmom was away, I like to think I was a good adolescent.
Now, considering I had friends who were ‘bad’ and friends who were ‘good,’ in regards to the saying, would that fact make me both good and bad or… just or? Having bad friends did not necessarily mean I was engaging in the things that they were doing. The legitimacy of the saying can be argued in what would probably be a debate for eternity because there is and I doubt there will be any solid proof to show that this saying is true. Because of this, judgement is inevitable and though one may be friends with a meatball but not be a meatball himself, the wisest choice is to just not be friends with