I'm supposed to write ten entries about what I really learned in high school. I learned a lot, I know I did, and I definately know it had nothing to do with Logarithmes or comparative essays. The problem I'm facing right now is that I learned one thing in high school that over shadows all the others. It blew logs right out of the water. It put the realization that high schools are like the Soviet Union in a corner. It put judgement and knowledge puzzles all the way to the back of my mind. I didn't learn it the hard way. I didn't even have to re-arrange my puzzle. A great teacher said it, and everyday I see how true it is. I don’t even know if he really new how profoundly that would affect my life and the life of my friends. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve repeated it to each other when times are getting hard.

Il ne faut jamais penser que demander pour de l’aide te donne un échec. Le véritable échec c’est de ne pas demander pour l’aid et souffir. Il fault que tu réalises que la vie est beaucoup trop difficule à affronter par toi meme. C’est pour ca qu’on a des amis et une famille. Il nous aident a affronter nos problèmes et nos obstacles.

What I think is more important to take away from this lesson is to accept the help when it is being offered. Many times, when we are given the chance to be helped, we ignore it, figuring we could fix it on our own. Sometimes we can, but others, it only hurts us more when we are trying to work things out by ourselves. We have to learn to not let pride and vanity get in the way of relieving the suffering.

At Natural Helpers I learned how to listen, truely listen. A skill I now cherish.
This is one of the greatest things I've learned.
Something I think everyone should learn.

At Natural Helpers I also learned that high school is not the best place to make friends. It is hard for people to transcend the grouping -whether it be grades or cliques.

Knowledge Puzzles. The greatest analogy that I've heard to date. Its actually mostly ridiculous how often I use it. I learned that people who have learned to take apart their puzzle to fit a new piece in are not always compatible with people who refuse to do so and jam in or throw out their pieces. It can cause a person great amounts of frustration. But do you know what that's taught me? Patience, patience and understanding. To be able to explain to someone how I see it, and to listen how they see it, and if we don't agree, I can accept that and not be mean about it.
More importantly, I was taught what to do with my knowledge puzzle and new pieces. How to think critically. I honestly believe that the opportunity to learn that should be open to all students in high school.

People are not always what they seem. Don't let your first impressions cloud your judgement.
You shouldn't judge people before you get to know them. You should, I believe, judge someone after you've gotten to know them (Judge seems to have such a poor conotation, but I don't know what other word to use). No one says you have to be friends with everyone. Sometimes your beliefs are too much at odds, or you just don't like the way they treat you or your friends. The answer then is to not be their friend. HOWEVER. However, don't become enemies. There is no real reason you should have an enemy in life, the world hell even high school is a big enough place for the two of you to get by without much contact. Civility. Just remember that.