Advice to Freshmen
By Avery P.
Graduation Day, Back View of Asian Woman with Graduation Cap and by ภาพของPBXStudio Created in Canva
Seniors, the final year has come. You have weathered the storm of ACT/SAT prep classes, college visits, and all the in between. As the year progresses, look back at where it all started. Would your freshmen self be surprised at where you are now? Would they be proud of how hard you worked? What advice would have helped make high school easier?
Freshmen, the first year of the high school journey has just begun. You are in for a long, wild, and joyful ride. It can be overwhelming and confusing coming into a high school, it may even seem scary. That is why the seniors have given you some advice, in order to ease any worries!
What advice would you give to freshmen?
Student 1: “I think I'd say that it's important to really separate school from the rest of your life. Try to keep the times you work on school to about the same time each day, even though technically you can work until midnight if you want. Setting up a schedule really helped me, but it took me a while to realize.”
Student 2: “Your time doing what you want is limited, but your joy from it is limitless. Do the things you love in your free time and enjoy the simple joys in life like talking to friends. I cannot tell you how much time I wasted on scrolling the internet when I should have been doing things that I truly enjoyed.”
What advice do you wish you had received as a freshman?
Student 3: “Avoid drama when possible. Also I wish I had been told that you can't be best friends with everyone, so be nice to people, but choose who you're going to put effort into being friends with.”
Student 4: “Don’t stress too much about college and getting good grades. Enjoy where you are and soak in every moment! Work hard, but don’t push yourself to a point where you are stressed all the time. High school flies by, so don’t waste it by only worrying about grades.”
If you could go back to talk to your freshmen self, what would you say?
Student 1: “Do not just sit in your little comfort zone and think that everything is way too crazy for you to do. Just do things that you are partially interested in, and listen to your parent's recommendations. They have raised you for years and years, so they know what your personality is like and might have ideas on what you can try and do during high school!”
Student 2: “"My dear, you are about to fight for your life, but through that fight you are going to shine! It will be hard; things will be difficult, but it's worth it. Reach out- those around you want to see you thrive!"
Student 3: “I'd say to find something outside of school that gives you a break. For me, I started running and going on walks. It helps keep me from staring at a computer all day, as well as breaks the monotony of doing the same thing day in and day out.”
Student 4: “Lean into the friendships you have and don’t wish the time away.”
Student 5: “I'd tell her to engage in the roleplays she was in. Don't stress out so much about other people's relationships, you can love them without getting involved. I'd tell myself to enjoy the good times even amidst the chaos, because in the future, you're gonna miss those times that although they had some chaos, were also in a way simpler than now.”
Columns: 🗣️Advice, 👤NSA People
Avery P. lives in Tennessee with her family. She is a senior and a fourth year NorthStar student, as well as a third year journalist at the Navigator. After graduation, she will be attending community college to pursue a degree in marketing and communications. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in ministry. In her free time, she loves to drink coffee, serve at church, and babysit.