I remember when I was young my parents, teachers, and a few friends all told me at separate times that a day would come when I regretted not taking school more seriously. At the time, I just laughed. I thought that I knew everything see, I thought that I had it all figured out and rarely gave much thought to what life would be like after high school. Why? I don’t know, I suppose it just felt so far away and I figured that I could just keep having fun, what was the harm in that right?

Well, the harm in not taking everything seriously resulted in me realizing years later that every piece of advice my parents, teachers, and friends tried to give was right. It was never that they were trying to keep me from having fun, or insinuate that I couldn’t live a normal teenage life, no, it was more that they saw potential in me that I was unknowingly throwing away by my own poor decisions.

If you’re a youngster out there and you’re skipping school, maybe not taking your classes seriously, or just living day by day without a clear focus on who you want to be later in life, I’d like to encourage you to take a time out and think about things.

I know high school can be a rough experience in a lot of situations. I know that peer pressure, bullying, and other forms of negativity exist and at times it feels like it’ll never end, but I promise you it will. Before you know it school will be over… and, if you’re like me, if you’re like a majority of adults who talk honestly about their teenage years, you’ll look back like most of us do and wish mightily that you had tried a little bit harder. Why? Because you’ll realize the amazing opportunities that an education can bring, and you’ll regret having had it slip by you. Please think about that. It’s true.

If you ever want to understand more about the educational opportunities you have access to, please talk to a school counselor, a teacher, anyone at your school will be willing to talk with you. Try it. I wish I had.

The advice most school kids need to hear basically boils down to the few following things:
• Doing well in school opens up the opportunity to go to college.
• Going to college opens up the opportunity to study a subject that you have a passion for.
• Getting an education in something you have a passion for means you’re likely to get a job that you love, meaning a higher sense of happiness, a better foundation for your future, and a higher salary.
• If you’re not the college type, and you know that it’s not an interest you’ll ever have, maybe look into some form of military service work. Many great things can come from getting involved. You can travel the world, gain invaluable experience, learn skills, and make a difference in peoples lives.

James