Build off what you've done well

This past Thursday morning, during our weekly advisory period at school, Will Slotnick, who ran the Wellness Collaborative I posted about earlier in November revisited our grade.  He was coaching us about the transition between middle and high school.  He continued talking about solutions to fighting stress, as it is the leading cause for people trying out drugs and alcohol which lead to addictions.  However, before Mr. Slotnick began talking about stress factors, drugs and alcohol, he began by asking my grade a question.  What are we going to miss about middle school.  

After hearing our various responses, Mr. Slotnick began talking about the transition between middle school and high school.  There was one thing he mentioned that struck me.  I was always consciously aware of it but Mr. Slotnick put what I’d conceptually understood into words.  He said that high school is almost like starting new and fresh.  You get a new, clean slate.  Teachers don’t know you very well and there are many new kids [at Andover, everyone will be new], and you can rebuild a reputation.  But, he added, it is important to reflect upon what went well, because you have opportunities to take what you did well in middle school and reconstruct what’s already been done well again in high school.  That resonated with me from this past Thursday.  I’ve been thinking about things I’ve done well throughout my three years in middle school.  

• Staying on top of my priorities
• Staying organized
• Finding time to exercise
• Talking with my teachers when I need help; this also helps build stronger and more personal relationships with teachers
• Listening to friends when they need it

These are certainly characteristics that I hope I will be able to take to Andover this fall.  Sometimes it’s nice to have a second chance and start over, yet other times, it’s just as okay to build off something I’ve already done well.  Afterall, building off what I’ve already established will allow to go further, rather than start all over from scratch.  I’ll continue to think what I’ve done well in middle school.