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Ok keep in mind i typed this for my Rikku Al Bhed Thief account so if it says Rikku or it doesn't sound like Bella that's why.

Ok well i have a bunch of mags called GL (girl's life). And well there was this one article that i had put off reading. I decided i would wait until i needed it. Ya see the article is called "What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About High School". I got these mags a loooooooooong time ago. I'm in 8th grade now so i thought why not read it now. Yah so i decided that this thing helps a lot so i'm gonna post it! It was written by a girl named Allison Davis. She wrote this when she was 17 but i got this a few years ago so she's probably around 20 now. Well here it is! Hope it helps ya'll! =] Oh and btw i'm gonna be lookin @ the screen so much when i type this cuz that would take to long. No i don't have to look @ the keyboard when i type. In IT (intro to technology) i practiced the write way of typing. 3nodding So anways if u see a typo just let me know and i'll fix it.

The summer before my freshman year, I had dozens of expectations of what high school would be like. I would be a straight-A student and reigning member of the popular clique. I would have a cute boyfriend with a great car, get elected class president, land the lead in all the school plays and be a star varsity lacrosse player. Never mind the fact that all my grand ideas of high school life were based on teen flicks and WB dramas. I was absolutely convinced this was how high school would really be.
It only took the first week (and three near nervous breakdowns) to figure out I was dead wrong all along. The reality was that I had no clue how to deal with changing friendships, massive amounts of homework, finding my niche at school, and, yes, even getting down with the whole dating-and-boys thing. Now that I've finally graduated, I can't rewrite the last four years of my life. But what I can do is give other girls the adivice I wish someone had doled out to me and my friends. No doubt, making your own mistakes and learning from them is a key part of surviving the high-school scene. But here are 16 lessons my friends and I learned the hard way...so you don't have to!

#1 The popular group isn't always the best group.
When I was a freshman, I asked my friend Joanna how I could fit in with the popular crowd. Her advice was to stop using so many big words, stop thinking so much and to wear more makeup. Needless to say, I never quite fit in among the the small-word, no-thinking makeup masters. Instead, I found a group of five girls who are now as close to me as family.
Having a crew of friends who accpet you for who you are is what makes high school memorable.

Sorry! I kinda wanna stop u all here just to tell u all that i have a group of buds like tat too! Paige, Carla, and of course Amanda! And then we have our other buddies too! Sam, Becca, Ellie. U get the picture. Okay back to the article!

Maybe your best friends are in the popular group; maybe not. Either way, having really close friends who will be there for you through thick or thin is more important than anything. As my friend Sam says, "Knowing you have people you can call in the middle of the night is the greatest feeling in the world."

Sorry again! I like commenting on this stuff! Ok well anyways me and my buddies talk until like midnight! Just ask Amanda! We were on the phone until 11:30! o.O And our parents weren't the ones that made us get off! She hung up cuz her cell was getting so hot it was burnin her ear. U baby! jk Amanda. Luv u!

#2 Trust your gut.
My friend Lindsay recalls, "I made a decision not to give in to peer pressure during high school. There were times when I thought, 'Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn't I?' I never acted on it though. I don't need to do what everyone else is doing to have fun. If it's not in your nature to cave to peer pressure, don't."
If you feel like something is wrong, then it probably is. Even if your friends are telling you it's the right thing to do, that doesn't always make it right. There have been situations in which I was torn on what to do, and I made decisions based on what others were doing-even though it went against what I felt. Wrong call. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone uses bad judgement at times. But listen to your gut to avoid making mistakes you'll later regret.

#3 Upperclassmen are not as scary as you think.

Yup. It's that time again! Rikku comment's on the article! yay! lolz. Well i just wanted to tell everyone that goes to my school that a lot of ppl r afraid of that one goth kid, Gene or Jean or howeva u spell it. I just wanted to tell u all that he's not scary. Extremely annoying yes. Scary no. I've rode the same bus with him for years and trust me he's not scary. He just wears a lot of black and black makeup. He's a freak but that doesn't mean he's scary. If he tries to intimidate u then u say "Shut up Gene" and walk away. He'll probably annoy u after that but u kinda get used to it. Trust me. Oh but he's not exactly a senior. I think he's a sophmore or junior or somethin. Idk! Well whatever he is just remember....HE'S NOT SCARY! JUST REALLY FREAKIN ANNOYIN! IF U NEED EXAMPLES I HAVE PLENTY! Oh and then he's also kinda funny. Like at the "jamboree" as Dylan Mann called the pep rally where he started doin a stripper dance really high in the bleachers while the cheerleaders were doin there thingy. It was so funny! Ick! Mental picture! Gene as a cheerleader! Ugh!

The first few days of high school, seniors might try to make you feel their "power". Don't panic-it's a high-school tradition for the upperclass to intimidate freshmen! Getting to know upperclassmen through sports teams or other extracurriculars can be really helpful when you're trying to figure out the details like which English teachers to avoid or how to cut detentions. That same senior you feared could ultimately turn out to be a really good mentor.

N O! I KNOW WHAT U R THINKING! I FEARED GENE! HE COULD BE A GOOD MENTOR! DON'T U DARE TRY IT! I WILL PERSONALLY HURT U!

My friend Shannon got in with upperclassmen on her volleyball team: "I became really close with my older team-mates. If you are a dedicated, excited team player, upperclassmen respect you. It's a great way to make cool older friends who can help you out."

#4 Do your homework.

Me again! Sorry but this goes for Manda (Amanda)! DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK, RAZZLE DAZZLE! I luv u and all but hon u need to do ur own work. Me and Carla ain't gonna be doin ur hw in high school! Trust me. Accordin to this we're gonna have A LOT.

First semester of your freshman year is kind of like a warmup for the rest of high school. As you progress, you'll be given a lot more work and expectations will be higher. So adopt good study habits now, because procrastination will catch up to you....and quick.
"I am the world's biggest slacker, no joke," my friend Katie confesses.

Katie! Hmph! That should say Manda! lolz

"I put everything off until the last minute, even if it's been assigned five months in advance." Don't procrastinate! Break big assingments into small chunks you can tackle each night. And beware of time-wasters. I was big on checking celeb's AOL profiles or whatever when none of my friends were online-so stupid. Work hard on your own and, not only will everything be less stressful, you'll be rewarded with great grades and the ability to survive college!

That reminds me. Um...I should probably tell u all that if high school is really that bad then i probably won't be on gaia much next year. I'll try to get on as often as possible! After all there is some other good advice i've heard before! It's about work and play. You gotta work until you feel unmotivated then you play until you feel better! Then time for more work! So i'll probably be takin lotsa hw breaks. I get sidetracked anyway. xd

#5 Let people change.
"Do you really want to be the same person you were when you were younger?" asks my girl Lauryn. It's good to learn early on that nothing is permanent. As you and your friends have new experiences, take on fresh activities and get acquainted with different people, you're all going to change to some degree. Change can be positive for everyone in the long run-even if it is scary at times. Being a good friend means supporting your pal's hopes and interests. Even if those hopes and interests don't always include you.

#6 Boy's aren't everything.
Yes, boys are cute...really cute. But never let the quest for a boyfriend take over your life. If you have a cool BF, great, but you can be just as happy without a boy.

Yup! Stoppin ya again! Paige (or should i say Chickadee?) this is for u, hon! U worry too much over u know who. Who cares! Screw him! lolz. When u got lil old me who needs him?! lolz again!

As my bud Beccy remembers, "I didn't need a boyfriend to make my high-school experience comeplete. Whenever I had free time, I wanted to be with my girls. Having a boyfriend probably wouldn't have let me experience high school to the fullest because I wouldn't have been able to do everything I wanted to, when I wanted to. Not to say I don't ever want a boyfriend or that there weren't times when I did want a boyfriend, but it hasn't been essential to my happiness for the past four years." Boys are only a big deal if you convince yourself that they're a big deal.

Sorry i keep interuppting but gosh that's a lot to type. I'm about half way done. Almost. I'm doin this on MY computer. Yes i have my own comp. But it don't have internet. I only play games and type my stories on it. Or do BIG projects like this. If i need somethin really BIG typed up for gaia and i'm bored i type it up on here then save it to a memory stick. Then i put the memory stick in our comp in our basement and i open up the file with my junk in it then i copy and paste! So yah rite now it's 3:17 am. Yup. I'm typin somethin for gaia on MY computer @ 3 am. Gotta problem with it? Lately i don't go to sleep until 4 am. So one more hour and i'm crashing. It will probably take me a few days to finally get this in my journal but if ur reading this then guess wat?! I succeeded! Yay! w00t! lolz. Well sorry for the interuption. I'm just tired of typin this article. *sigh* I'm gonna type the rest of it now. Promise! But i can't guarantee i'll stop interuppting! I mean this Allison girl and her friends r smart and all but i'm one of those girls who wears what she wants, says what she wants, and does what she wants. No not a REBEL. This word is better. This word is INDIVIDUAL. That's what i am. I'm not some stupid clone that wears hollister or american eagle or aeropostle. Howeva u spell that crap hole. I HATE those stores. They're clothes suck so i don't know why everyone loves them so much. I mean if fashion is about expressing urself then all the girls @ our school r sayin "Look @ me! I'm a clone and a freakin retarded bimbo!" I dress to how i feel. If i feel upset i dress in black or gray. If i'm happy then i'll most likely be wearin my fav color, yellow! Oh and i'm very ORIGINAL with my clothes. I mix and match. I make myself look krazi. I know ppl probably talk about me behind my back. The first name that comes to mind is Bailey McIntosh. Ugh! Ick! EW! only words to describe her! lolz. if u wanna know more then comment askin me a question bout her. I got plenty of stories. Anyways here's that article. Oh and btw it's now 3:27 so if i have a typo that's cuz i'm EXHAUSTED. I'll be quitting on this soon. Just for the night. ;]

#7 Find a passion--and follow it.
Kelly says, "There are so many things in high school I wish I'd done. In a way, I regret not doing certain things I enjoyed doing. Finding what you're passionate about is important, but even more important is listening to that passion and making it a reality." Get involved in activities and classes that allow you to learn more about the things you love. If you let opportunities pass you by, you'll always ask yourself, "What if....?"

#8 Don't waste time worrying about what others think.

YESS! I LOVE THIS ONE! IT ROXX! OH HERE'S SOME GOOD LINES OF ADVICE: People will always talk, why not give them something to talk about?, Be spontanious. Whatever happens, happens.; okay! i'm done now! after this one i'm probably gonna go to bed. I don't do all nighters. cuz then i sleep all day and i become nocturnal. i hate that cuz then i can neva get on gaia and my parents r always asleep while i'm awake. yes i've become nocturnal several times during the summer. yes i actually got on a schedule once that lasted for like a month where i would stay up until 6 am then go to bed. then i'd wake up around 6 pm or 7 pm. i finally got better like rite before school started. ok well here's the next tip so i can go to bed! i'll finish the rest tomorrow....if i feel like it! lolz

No offense, but you'd be surprised at how infrequently other people actually think about you. Girls aren't always nice; in fact, we can even be horrible to each other. But while gossip is a natural part of high school, don't let what others say determine how you see yourself.
Says my friend Michele, "I spent so much of high school letting other people dictate what I wore, who I hung out with, what I did on the weekends. I was never sastisfied with myself or my life. It took awhile, but I was able to block out all those voices and listen to myself and what I wanted. Now, I'm much happier and more confident."

Ok i'm gonna try not to interuppt as much cuz i'm sleepy and i wanna get most of this done. K?

#9 Be yourself.
Cliched, yes, but it really is true. Everyone has quirks-that's what makes people unique.

OK! it's 3:41 and i'm bushed! Nite all! Well i'll probably be wide awake when ur readin this but for now i'm gonna go to sleep! Nite!

OKz! i'm awake again! rite now while i type it is 4 pm! yayness! this should be in my journal soon! and if ur readin this then it is! yay! ok here's the rest.

There's nothing interesting about a high school full of clones. Embrace your uniqueness. "High school is a challenging time. Everyone is changing and experienceing new things. To enjoy your time, always be who you are," advises Elizabeth. "Opportunities are going to present themselves, and who knows where theses opportunities might lead? If you worry about how it might 'look', you'll never find out. Don't ever change who you are just to fit in. You won't be happy."

#10 Your reputation can follow you throughout and after high school.
Remember that girl who walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper trailing from her shoe? Or the boy who burped out loud during a silent moment in assembly? Of course, you do. We remember people by their actions as much as we remember their hair color. While embarrassing moments are unavoidable and nothing to be ashamed about, dishonest or just plain bad behavior is well within your control.
Take responsibility for your actions, and choose them wisely. It's way better to be remembered for being an awesome lacrosse player or a straight-A student than for some major mess-up from years ago.

#11 Don't let others' expectations stress you.
You'll be met with lots of expectations from parents, coaches, teachers, and even friends and sibs. But if you're doing what makes you happy, in the end, people should be statisfied with that. No matter how much your mom wants you to be a cheerleader, if you'd be miserable doing the rah-rah thing, what's the point?
Sydnee had this experience when she entered high school: "When I was a freshman, I'd been playing lacrosse for eight years. I'd dreamed of playing for my high school team and then for college. But by spring, I realized lacrosse wasn't as much fun as it used to be. Soon after, I got involved in theater. When I was onstage, I felt the same excitement I once felt when I played lacrosse. A lot of people criticized me for my decision to give up lacrosse to pursue theater, but it felt right to me." Don't do the things you've always done because people expect you to. Now's the time to seek out new experiences instead of relying on what's safe. Dive into something new, and give it all you've got.

#12 Avoid freshman burnout.
Even if you ignore our previous advice about keeping on top of homework, remember this: Don't pull all-nighters for a week to get the work done. There will be times when it seems like every class has a huge project due. If you're feeling overwhelmed, talk to your teachers. Most will be cool and give you an extension, as long as you have a valid excuse. No, watching twelve straight hours of Nick at Nite doesn't count.

#13 Mistakes are ok.
Everyone trips up every now and then, even teachers, coaches and parents. It may not feel like it, but nobody expects you to be perfect all the time. The important thing is to learn from mistakes, and just let go of failure. The truth is, making mistakes can actually build character. Getting busted for being a gossip, for example, can teach you that bad-mouthing people usually backfires. Keep you lips zipped from that point on, and you'll be known as the girl who only has good things to say about others.

#14 Take care of yourself.
it might seem impossible to forget to do basic things like eat and sleep but, trust us, it is incredibly easy. You have to stay healthy, so eat right and get plenty of sleep. Susanna recounts a night she chose styudying over sleep: "I tried to study from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. Needless to say, I bombed the test. I probably would've done better if I had gotten a full night's sleep and woken up early to study." At times, you might have to sacrifice an A+ for some Z's.

I just wanted to make sure that all of u know that she means that if u need to get in some extra study time then wake up early. Don't stay up late.

#15 College? Forget about it for now!
Freshman year is not the time to plan your college career. You might swear, "Harvard is the only place I'd ever want to go." Kudos to you for being so clear about your goals. But chances are your goals will change. When I was a freshman, I didn't even know my college existed. Leave the college anxiety to the upperclassmen-you'll have plenty of time to deal with that later.

#16 Life isn't defined by milestones.
You'll probably experience a lot of firsts in high school-first boyfriend, first D, first prom. But high school is more than a series of firsts and lasts-it's about all that great stuff that happens in between.
As Melissa says, "I'll always remember random times during play rehearsals when we'd all hang out and talk while we made props. Or Friday nights spent driving aroound, singing along to bad '80s songs with my friends." As cheesy as it sounds, the next four years are going to fly by. So make every little moment-the good, the bad and the ugly-count just as much as the big ones. Got it?

That's it! That's the rest of the article! Now these mags have tons of awesome advice so if u need some advice just ask me and i'll tell u if one of my mags has anythin. Or if u don't want mag advice u can ask my buddy, Cloe The Angel. Just pm her or comment on her profile. Oh wait but she has another account. Her other username is Bella Swan Klutzy Girl. K? well if you're not in high school yet i hope that helps! Please comment! I know that was a lot to read! Bye!