By Ellie Mullan, aged 17

THE month of September holds only one thought for many teenagers in Dorset – back to school!

Yes, the summer has flown by in a whirl of sun, sea and the occasional thunderstorm.

Before you know it, adverts on the television turn to ‘back to school’ gear, your parents begin to lecture you about how academically important this term is for you, and you begin to worry about what your new teachers will be like.

We’ve all been there – the sense of dread when you have to set your alarm the night before, the piercing sound of the first school bell when you arrive in the morning, and the same old canteen food staring uninvitingly back at you.

Fortunately, (or unfortunately, depending on your attitude) my time at school is over – but for many young people around Dorset the end still seems far away.

However, despite it seeming like centuries away until you finish, my only advice to you would be to enjoy school, every second of it! School and college is a time to meet lifelong friends, discover where your interests lie and develop as a person before you go into the real world.

But this is easier said than done – for most, myself included, school can become a real chore. You begin to question what use it is in the real world to perform quadratic equations, learn the meaning of adverbs and deconstruct a poem. But persevere, because these seemingly pointless skills may potentially unlock a hidden passion for a particular subject.

So, although it may be difficult at times, try to enjoy your time in education, because it will all be over before you know it. Although it may annoy you when people say these years are the best of your life, they’re right!