As the new semester begins, icebreakers are the first thing teachers love to dish out. My English class particularly had long icebreakers that dug well into my skills, personality, and my most recent achievements.

During my first two years of college, I realized that many of my achievements were in high school. I felt I didn’t really have anything to share. I settled with my usual, “I made it through my first year of nursing school,” and that seemed to get a couple smiles from my neighbors. The thought of not having recent achievements skated around my mind as I fumbled to talk about my experience here at DeSales. Admittedly, I had always thought that even mentioning high school in college was taboo. In reality, most of my experiences that set me up for success in college were in high school. 

It's a common misconception that once you leave high school, your experiences and the transferable skills they create,  should be left behind and never spoken of again. But why should we be ashamed of the things we accomplished in our teenage years? High school is a crucial time in our lives, filled with growth, learning, and self-discovery. And let's be real, it's not like college is a completely different world where everything from high school is irrelevant. I got my seal of biliteracy in Spanish thanks to my high school professor, who helped me get into a special travel abroad program during my sophomore year. I even wrote my own research paper which took a whole year of planning and executing.

Don’t Discount the Value of Experiences

First, it is important to understand that college is not a completely different world from high school. Both are institutions of learning that aim to prepare students for their future careers and lives. The skills and knowledge acquired in high school are not irrelevant in college, but rather, they serve as a foundation for further learning and development. I considered myself to have a small head start in college English literature classes, as I have already developed a strong foundation in literary analysis, critical thinking, and debunking fallacies. My sophomore year of high school was when I began to jump into challenging courses. I was a guinea pig for a new emerging high school AP course, called the AP Capstone program, which dove deeper into research than any other English class I’ve ever taken. The second year of the program was actually when we took the entire year to plan a research project. I made many connections that year, both professionally and socially as I grew connections with peers involved in my research. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m proud to keep that close to my heart.

Many students enter college intending to pursue a specific career path, but may not realize that the skills and experiences they acquired in high school are transferable to their chosen field. For example, a student who was involved in a school newspaper or yearbook may have developed skills in writing, editing, and design, which can be applied to a career in journalism or graphic design. The research paper I completed was focused on health studies. This really helped me get ahead in a niche category of nursing. 

Keep It Relevant

High school experiences can also serve as a valuable point of reference on a resume or in a job interview, demonstrating that a student has a track record of commitment and dedication. As long as you are a sophomore or younger, show off those skills in your resume. Removing high school experiences from your resume after your sophomore year in college is a common practice as employers focus more on your college and post-college accomplishments. However, it is important to remember that your high school achievements are a significant part of your journey and should still be valued and appreciated. Those skills are like the little black dress of your educational wardrobe - they never go out of style. They can act as the beginning for conversations that detail how you became the professional you are today. They serve as a testament to your hard work, dedication, and achievements in your earlier years. So, while they may no longer be relevant to your professional profile, they should always be cherished and remembered as a great accomplishment in your life.

Let's not forget those high school achievements are also just plain old good memories. Sure, college can be tough and stressful, but reminiscing about the good times in high school can bring a smile to our faces and remind us of the journey we've been on. So let's not be afraid to talk about our high school achievements in college. They're a part of our story, and it's time to embrace them with pride.