dont forgetin do computer science unless you actually like it. like 80% of the vaguely technical/mathematical/STEMboy people i know are doing CS and its going to be a giant bubble if it isnt already. tech companies are pushing for everyone to learn how to code so they can lower wages for programming jobs and establish some forgeted up technoserf class. the only way to escape the effects of this is to become a very competent programmer that specializes in something specific, and youre probably only going to get to that if you actually like computer science a lot. i think if youre a technical dude but you dont really care that much about CS in particular you should consider some form of engineering. mechanical engineers will probably always be in demand even if their starting salaries are a bit lower than programmers ATM.
dont be afraid of trying stuff. high school is basically a place for you to self-actualize and learn about who you are. check out a bunch of clubs and do stuff that seems out of your wheelhouse. look into community service/art/music. talk to people who you normally wouldn't talk to. my #1 regret in high school is that i mostly just let things pass by me because i was afraid to go out of my comfort zone.
also if youre the kind of kid who really cares about getting into a nice college, being able to write about how you grew in high school and having it actually be of substance really puts you ahead. college admissions officers have read thousands of applications and they can tell when you're being honest or when you're bullstuffting. if youre the kind of kid who's actually good at school, stuff like that (as well as extracurriculars) is the tiebreaker at the top level of college applicants. when everybody has a 4.0 GPA and like 10 AP credits and a 35 on the ACT, the other stuff (leadership of clubs, awards, community service, art or music, anything outside of school that would be cool for a teenager to be doing) is what sets you apart.
i have an ultimately optimistic view of high level college admissions - extremely good colleges are looking for kids who they think will grow into adults that represent their institution well. if you actually mold yourself into an interesting human - with principles, ideas, and achievements - they will take note and consider you to have very high potential
you should take APs if you can, they will literally save you thousands of dollars if the credits apply to the college you go to, because youll get to skip a bunch of the early starter classes that kids have to take. also just try to take classes that round you out, don't only take AP/honors science/math classes, do honors/AP english/humanities/art/social sciences as well
high school is the last time youre going to be locked in a building with a bunch of people your age for 7 hours a day. its surprisingly easy to make friends in an environment like that just because youre always in eachothers' presence basically. in college people spend less time in classes and more time at home/in the library/doing extracurricular stuff and youre not going to see the same people as often. make good friends and savor them
high school is also when youre going to (hopefully) have a lot of independence and simultaneously very few responsibilities. learn how to drive and forget around with your friends, before everyone has jobs or college eating up all their time
i went to one of the best high schools in the nation so my experience is severely biased by that, i didnt really have to deal with overworked teachers/students that didnt care and thats an environment that lots of people seem to face, so maybe all my advice doesnt really apply
