LEARNING ABOUT LIFE, NOT JUST ALGEBRA

You learn a lot at school, but it’s important to remember that you’re learning a whole lot more than reading, writing, and arithmetic (which, by the way, you do use every day). Being a middle school student teaches you all kinds of stuff that will make every day of the rest of your life a little better. Stuff like:

Self-discipline. Learning to finish an assignment on time, forcing yourself to listen to a boring lecture, and getting to class on time are little ways you’re learning the important art of self-discipline.

Perseverance. Perseverance is just a big word for “never giving up.” Refusing to give up in a tough class, working on an eight-week science project, and rewriting your English paper for the third time are little ways you’re learning to hang in there.

Respect for authority. Aghhh! Did we have to include this one? Yes, we did. At school there are lots of people you need to respect—even when you don’t feel like it. Life works pretty much the same way.

How to get along with others. This is one of life’s most important skills. Let’s say that one more time: Learning to get along with others is one of life’s most important skills. Getting along with others is tough stuff. It doesn’t mean you always do what people want. It doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with everybody. It doesn’t mean you always have to agree with everybody. Getting along with others simply means you learn how to be the young man or woman God has created you to be without being an idiot in the process. It sounds easy enough, but trust us—it’s tougher than it sounds. You can also trust us when we say that going to school every day is a perfect place to figure it all out.

The value of friendship. You’ve probably already discovered how important it is to have a few of the right kinds of friends at school. Friends who will look out for you, stick up for you, believe in you, and never give up on you. School is helping you choose good friends, and it’s helping you become a good friend. These are two skills you’ll need for the rest of your life.

The art of being a Christian. If you go to a public school, it took you about two seconds on the first day of school to realize most of the kids you spend your day with don’t have a relationship with Jesus. When do you speak up? When do you keep your mouth shut? How do you stay true to Jesus without looking like a goody-goody? Being a Christian when most of the people around you aren’t isn’t easy to do, but it’s important. It’s important because God’s plan for reaching out to people who don’t know him yet is to use the people who already do. And since you’re reading this book, you’re probably someone God wants to use at your school to let others in on his love for them.