Starting high school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. In order to help navigate this new chapter, seniors who have been through the good, the bad and the ugly have given valuable advice to “their freshman selves” via a survey. These experienced students have shared their tips on everything from balancing schoolwork and extracurricular activities to making new friends and staying true to oneself. Whether there are worries about fitting in, keeping up with studies, or just making the most of the high school experience, this advice will help any freshman start their year with confidence and ease.

“What would you tell your freshman self if you were given the chance?”

• “Don’t doubt/second-guess yourself,” Elise Rusniak said, “You’re more capable than you know, and self-doubt is only holding you back.”
• Anthony To advised freshman students to, “Participate in more clubs because you’ll make more friends.”
• “Actually apply yourself to classes. It’s harder to recover a grade than it is to never lose it,” is the advice that Paul Cimino offered.

“What is your favorite moment/memory from freshman year?”

• Natalie Strejc offered a slightly different response with, “I hated freshman year, but I remember I enjoyed my art classes every single day.”
• “I loved homecoming week,” an anonymous student shared. “It was so much fun because everyone dressed up and was hyped. It was just a lot of fun overall, especially with the games.”
• Aubree Tovar even went as far as to highlight her favorite teachers when she expressed, “My favorite memory from freshman year was cooking/baking class. That was the class I looked forward to every day. Mrs. Pucel and Ms. Orban are amazing and the best teachers I could have asked for to start my high school years off with.”

“What is something you do not recommend doing as a freshman?”

• An anonymous student does not advise freshmen to, “Avoid sports and clubs…everyone starts somewhere, so you might as well start in the first place.”
• “Do not become friends with bad influences,” Julia Giovannetti recommends.
• “Something I don’t recommend is not focusing on your grades. It’s your freshman year, so starting off strong in high school with good grades will help you in the long run,” an anonymous student advised.

“If given the chance, would you repeat freshman year? If yes, please explain.”

• 37% of the surveyed seniors voted “yes.”
• “I would do everything I could to make the best of it: attend every game, every dance, try new things and have fun with everyone because in the end you want to be able to look back on your year and reflect that you did everything you could to make it one of the best,” Senior Leila De Leon explained.
• 63% of the surveyed seniors voted “no.”
• “Everything that happened was for a reason,” Blake Madej described “The good and bad all had a purpose whether it was to give me insight about how to act or to let me enjoy the little things that I can’t anymore.”