High school can be a rough time in our lives. We’re feeling awkward, our bodies are changing and we don’t really know who we are. No one prepped us for this. Luckily, TV has always been there to offer us insight into how we’re meant to handle these rough adolescent years. We’ve seen pretty much every possible scenario that could happen to us played out on the small screen, so at the very least, we know it can’t get worse than that. From breakups to deaths, here are the biggest lessons about high school that TV has taught us.
Clothes Over Bros (One Tree Hill)
Don’t sleep with your best friend’s boyfriend. Even if you had first dibs, this isn’t the way to go about it. Your friends should always get more respect than that, both from their significant other and from their supposed bestie. Hormones run rampant at this stage in life, so mistakes like this could definitely happen. Especially if you think you’re in love. But you should always try to hold back. We all knew that Lucas and Payton belonged together and that Brooke was just a fling that stood between the two, but no one wants to be the Brooke in the Lucas/Peyton/Brooke love triangle.
Don’t Share Secrets — Especially If They’re Just Rumors (Pretty Little Liars)
You need friends you can trust. The Liars of Rosewood can always count on at least the four of them to hold on to their dirty secrets, but they’ve made the mistake of sharing these secrets with untrustworthy people too. Rumors spread quickly in those hallways, so make sure you don’t have loose lips.
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Make Memories You’ll Treasure Forever (Friday Night Lights)
Appreciate this time in your life. Really try not to take it for granted. The memories you make in high school with your friends can last a lifetime, so try to go into it with that perspective. Tim Riggins was all about making memories. For him, he knew that high school was as good as it would get for him, so he wanted to live that time in his life to the fullest. Hopefully, this won’t be as good as it gets for everyone else, but it’s still important to live life like Rigs does (minus the day-drinking, car-boosting, girlfriend-stealing and everything else).
Find a Friend You Can Count On (Teen Wolf)
Find a best friend who’s always got your back. No one wants to go through high school alone. A best friend is pretty essential to keep your sanity at this age. If you’ve got a Stiles to your Scott, you can get through anything life throws at you — heartbreak, homework, fights and maybe even turning into a werewolf.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Yourself (Glee)
Everyone wants to fit in somewhere. This is the time in our lives when we’re desperately trying to figure out who we are. Glee taught us that we shouldn’t be ashamed of who we are inside. Embrace your quirks and what makes you different. Standing out will give you a much bigger sense of belonging than trying to fit in and be something that you’re not.
Don’t Let a Breakup Break You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Buffy said it best. Yes, heartbreak is terrible and it makes you feel like crap. But you will move on. It’s a part of life. Never let a relationship break you, especially a high school one. You’re worth way more than that little two-month stint with that guy or girl from homeroom. There’s a whole school of fellow singles just waiting for you, and these relationships just aren’t that important in the grand scheme.
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You’ll Look for Any Reason to Date Someone (The OC)
There’s not always logic for who you’re crushing on. Your friends may think you’re crazy, you could be from two totally different social groups or a myriad of other things could be standing between you two. Disregard all of that. You’re only 18 once. Date anyone and everyone because you never know which crazy relationship will be the one you remember most from high school.
Stay in Touch with the Friends Who Matter (The Vampire Diaries)
It’s very important to try and stay in touch with your friends long after graduation day. People say that the friendships you had in high school won’t last, but that’s ridiculous. The Salvatore brothers are living proof that some friendships can last an eternity. Not every friendship can last forever, but you can work to make the important ones run a long course.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Fool of Yourself (Smallville)
Even Superman gets weak at the knees for the girl he loves. This is just a part of the awkward teenage years. If you like someone, you’re probably going to ramble and make a fool of yourself in front of them at least once. No one is cool all of the time. Not even the Man of Steel.
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
