<p>Maybe I’m misreading, but the actual question posed in the OP seems to be a different matter than what the title suggests.</p>
<p>Creative, humorous exaggeration (a la Thurber, a la David Sedaris) is fine, if you’re a good enough writer to carry it off. (Not many adult writers, let alone h.s. seniors, are good enough, but that’s a different question.) “Twisting the facts” (a la James Frey), is not a good idea, regardless of the level of your writing.</p>