High school provides an often-for-granted amount of opportunities for students to try and learn new things. It is, unfortunately, easier to notice missed opportunities when looking in retrospect rather than in the moment. Students should try to be more involved in the opportunities presented toward them. 

The most common reasoning behind not trying new things is the fear of failure. What most students will overlook is how failure shapes success. Whether it is trying new sports or participating in different clubs, failure is only beneficial toward the future. School grants the opportunity for one to fail in a controlled environment. While that may sound counterintuitive, referring to that failing leads to progression, it is necessary in order to reflect and grow. The only way to recognize this advantage school provides however is to not look at failure as a loss, but instead as a step in growth. 

Even after acknowledging failure, trying new sports and clubs can either lead to new passions or to new skills that can be applied to other circumstances. Applying that narrative to, for example, sports, many high school multi-sport athletes tend to have greater success in professional leagues than singular-sport athletes. It is not a coincidence that those who try multiple different things at once tend to be better equipped at goals they want to achieve. 

Outside of trying new sports and clubs, opportunities present themselves in the form of scholarships. A fair amount of students do not fully understand how an excessive amount of college debt will affect their future. Although debt is not necessarily bad with a financially adequate degree and career path, scholarships are an effective way to lower the cost of college. Students should recognize that high school is an experience with ups and downs. They should not be afraid of the downs in order to set themselves up for a better future.