It's been more than ten years since I got out of high school and jumped into the "real world." Here's what I found out.

No matter how bad you thought school was at the time, you will usually only remember the good times. Here are some things you should do before you graduate:

1. Keep a "highlights" journal. You don't have to write in it every day — just when cool things happen.
   
2. Take lots of pictures or video. It isn't just for you, but for your kids. The one thing my kids love to ask about is what I was like in high school.
   
3. Share your faith in Jesus with your friends. You may think you'll be friends forever, but you won't. Some move away, others become too busy, some die and others just drop right out. Seize the day (2 Cor. 6:2)!
   
4. Experiment. Try out different sports, new hobbies and interests, different classes, fresh challenges. You may catch on to something great you didn't know existed!
   
5. Study hard, and work hard. The discipline you develop today will bring you the rewards you'll want a decade from now (2 Tim 2:15).
   
   Source: Every Teenager's Little Black Book of Hard to Find Information
   by Blaine Bartel.
   Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers