Making the right relationships with your friends and teachers can be very beneficial. Friends and teachers can help steer you on the right path. If you’ve built strong relationships with your teachers, it would be a good idea to ask them for recommendation letters. If teachers know you well, they can write more heartfelt letters. Building strong relationships with your peers and teachers is an important part of high school. When you are struggling or in need of help, they are always there for you.

Of course the idea here is to not simply build relationships for recommendation letters. Teachers can also give you wonderful tips about applying to colleges and staying on track. They have gone through the same ordeal and work every day with students who have experienced the same challenges you might be encountering. Many of my teachers have given me advice on choosing and applying for colleges. In addition, counselors are also helpful friends who can assist you in making the right decisions. At my school, many of our students come to the counselors to ask for help in choosing the right classes. Before a new semester starts, I always try to set up an appointment with my counselor in order to make sure that I can handle the course load and that I am making logical choices.

Your friends are also people you can trust to help you through trying times. Being with a group of friends who act as a positive influence can help you improve. Friends represent your values. If you wish to succeed in school and have high standards for yourself, choose friends that embody similar goals. I can always count on my friends inside and outside of school. Sometimes I ask my friends to peer-edit essays or help me on homework; I do the same for them. They help keep me on my toes during the school year, and many of them belong to the same clubs and sports that I do. This not only makes those activities more interesting, but I can usually rely on them for new ideas on how to improve the clubs and even myself.

Your friends, teachers, and counselors all make the experience of high school special. Try to make new friends or strengthen old relationships. You may need help one day, and if you already have these relationships, you’ll have nothing to worry about.