High school: an experience that some alumni remember as a joyous four years while others’ only memory of high school consists of them just waiting for it to be over. These drastically different memories suggest that each student lives drastically different lives. So, what is it that makes some teens feel the intensity of happiness but not others? And is this so-called “happiness” genuine?

Happiness in high school has proven over the years to be incredibly difficult: from losing friends to stressing over the SAT to arguing over who’s allowed to wear what dress at prom. Our generation- believe it or not- lives in one of the scariest eras because unlike our ancestors, we have phones and social media and endless opportunities to force misery upon others. So, when all of this is happening, how are we supposed to love going to school and wake up everyday with a smile? Well, that’s what I’m here to find out and hopefully share with you because everyone could use a little advice every once in a while.

A super difficult aspect of high school is the loss of friendships that were supposed to last forever. Talk of going on double dates and one day attending each others wedding can deceive you into believing that your friendship has a much stronger foundation than it really does and that the bond between you two is invincible. Junior Hayley Bedard remarkably questioned, “If they were willing to drop you that quickly, were they truly friends?” Honestly, there is only one real key fact you need to know and this is that you are good enough. Some friendships just fade because that person is not meant to be in your life anymore. And yes, I know that’s annoying to hear and you want a straightforward answer on how to deal with this but that just doesn’t exist. Yes, you can go out and party and get yourself involved with awful influences to fill that void or you can be bitter and hate that old friend for the rest of your high school career. However, how does this benefit you? What do you gain as a result of these actions? What you’re doing here is avoiding the main issue and that is: you have to learn to be happy on your own before engaging in a true friendship or even a relationship with someone else. Being comfortable with who you are on your own applies to every type of relationship, whether it be a friendship, a boyfriend/girlfriend, or even the connections you make with your teachers; the outcome of these relationships determines itself based on the love you have for yourself .

So let’s say you got over the loss of your old friend; how do you make new ones? Sahar Amjad, junior at Bethpage High School, explained that discovering common interests you and others have helps tremendously with the friend making process. Entering as a new student freshman year, Sahar has had experience with growing new friendships. Listening to what people like and staying in tune to what they talk about could change the way you approach them. If you think about it logically, the worst possible situation is that they aren’t interested in becoming friends with you. Okay, so? Who cares? This all goes back to what I said earlier about how loving yourself is the absolute most important thing you can do. If you’re confident in who you are, rejection can’t bother you. So get out there and just, try.