Currently being a junior in high school, I know that I have found a couple of teachers throughout the years that I have formed a closer bond with and have been able to confide in them regarding issues related to my school life. After last year’s hardship with the hybrid and virtual schedules, it was a bit harder to form connections with my teachers, as I didn’t really talk with them as often as freshman year or now. This year, I’ve found it really interesting to have certain types of conversations with teachers regarding more personal issues such as high school relationships or what’s in store for me after graduation. To be frank, some of the advice I had received out of those conversations have helped my friends, and I look at issues from a different perspective, making the encounters more amusing each time. In fact, these recent recurring encounters with a specific teacher had led to a thought of mine: what if I wasn’t the only one receiving this advice, but the rest of school as well? So, this Wednesday I had the privilege of interviewing that teacher regarding some advice for the general population of students here at Westlake High School.

The teacher I had interviewed asked to remain anonymous, but that only makes the whole experience more intriguing and interesting for you readers out there. I asked the teacher a series of questions ranging from light-hearted, to serious, to kind-of awkward questions that I am sure many students will find quite entertaining, to say the least.

So, starting off with some light work, I asked, “What’s one thing that all high schoolers should know?” With a little bit of hesitation, I received input mainly consisting of “listening to people” and “don’t try to be old too quick.” After some more thorough conversation it was evident that after being a teacher for some time, they realized the number of kids who want to grow up fast and constantly live in the future, when really being a freshman should just mean “being a freshman” and not acting like a senior. With that being said, no matter what grade you’re in, you should always “listen from an overall standpoint” so that you don’t lose bits of what high school is supposed to be. There are many who have more experience than you or understand what you may be feeling in given situations, and their advice should be taken methodically. Starting off with this question may seem basic to many, but you’d be surprised how many, including myself, are so involved in the future and don’t want to take people’s advice on living in the present as seriously as one may stress it. In this day and age, being a high schooler seems more difficult than it may have been in prior years, making it harder on many.

Moving on from the light work, instead of testing the waters a little bit, I dove into the topic of their specific “take on high school relationships.” Asking a teacher at this school for relationship advice may or may not have been a new low that I have reached, but I can guarantee that the following advice has been put into effect on multiple occasions and received some promising results. From personal experience of this teacher seeing students enter and leave out of their classroom every year, they came up with the idea to just take high school relationships “as they are.” With an emphasis on spending time with friends more than a significant other, there tends to be lots of drama that comes with being in a relationship than there should be. And relationships “99 times out of a 100 aren’t going anywhere” in many cases. Although this advice that was given to me and a friend of mine may seem quite depressing for many that are in stable relationships, we took it with a grain of salt and focused more on the specific advice regarding how to actually get a partner. But in all seriousness, relationships are different for everyone, and one’s advice may not work for you, and that’s ok.

Before I release the advice regarding what to look for in a partner, just a PSA that anyone over-spraying AXE cologne in the hallway isn’t going to do it. Coming from this teacher they plead “Please stop, it’s awful. Just spray and walk through.” One spray of that cheap fragrance goes a long way y’all. But anyway, back to the advice. To keep it short and simple, try to find someone who’s “low maintenance, and don’t be a jealous person.” You heard it here folks, being in a relationship takes time and effort, but it doesn’t need to stress or drain you out. They emphasized that “not having a jealous bone” in their body may help many rethink their thoughts while active in or looking for a relationship. In retrospect, relationships are amazing and always feel good in the moment, but they shouldn’t be everything. Especially in high school, as there is so much that could be missed out on if your social life is not balanced properly.

Lastly, circling back to my final question directed towards my interviewee, I asked, “What’s the easiest way to balance a social life and school work?” Without a second of hesitation, “stop procrastinating” immediately was said with a feeling of gravity. In all honesty, after going through some difficult school years with COVID, I know that many of us still struggle with getting our work done and finding/establishing proper study habits. They informed me that in their high school years they never procrastinated and always jumped at the opportunity to get their work done right away. To be honest, if I had that discipline and mindset I’d be doing a lot better in not just my school work but the sports, clubs, and hobbies that I’m involved in as well.

Some of the advice I gained from this teacher stems from even just a sentence exchanged between the two of us, and it always tends to make my day. I’ll admit that I would’ve never expected to receive life advice about romance and balancing school work from this teacher, but the conversations are worth it. The interview did have some awkward moments, but overall the advice gained personally will always stick with me for all the years to come. After reading some of the responses to the questions asked, do you think you can guess the teacher interviewed for this week’s article? Feel free to comment below any guesses of who the teacher that has been giving me and my friends random life advice anytime we pop our head into their classroom may be. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask teachers these types of questions, since the insight they gain after observing their students over the years can be scarily accurate.