At the end of last school year, The Blue and Gold collected a survey of the student body, freshman through seniors, to offer a space for advice regarding the different needs and requirements that come with each progressing school year! To kick off this year’s releases for The Blue and Gold, we want to share the advice with the student body, in hopes that there is wisdom and comfort found within the words of those who have already gone before you!

Advice for freshmen: freshman year, a year full of new experiences, people, classes, dances and more. This vital year introduces a whole new phase of life, and with that, comes a lot of changes and responsibilities. Freshman year is a great time for you to start to become who you will be for the rest of your high school experience!

“Take classes seriously and go to events like Fall Function, Homecoming, Sadie’s and all the other things. They are really fun and if you are not really friends with people those are times you can get to know people and make new friends. Do not procrastinate and do not say no to everything.”

“Time management, especially when you’re an athlete (Like studying for a quiz/test a couple of days before because you have a match/game the day before that quiz/test). Having patience because stuff doesn’t always happen right away, stuff takes time in life. Also think before you say something to someone, cause you never know if they take it personally. Less talking, more thinking (keeping those things that you don’t know if you should say to yourself).”

“Make sure to do your homework and projects early”

“The advice I would give is to stay focused on your work and turn all of your assignments in on time. “

“Do not make a big deal over the dances”

“Go to every dance and function. You’ll regret it if you don’t.“

“I wish I knew that it is possible to move on and find happiness after something big and scary happens. I also wish I knew that trying new things is good and it’s okay to mess up and make mistakes.“

“I’m glad I know now about all the cool things you can do in high school and how much less restricted it is. Just have fun. This applies to all grades but DON’T PROCRASTINATE!”

Advice for sophomores: sophomore year, a year of licenses, AP classes and sweet sixteens! This year is all about feeling more comfortable in high school and enjoying no longer being the youngest in the school. With 3 more years of high school to go, sophomores have so much left to look forward to and so many more memories to make!

“Start good habits at the start of the year aim for a routine and make close friends”

“Do what you love, and pour into the opportunities the Lord has given you. You’ll have classes all day every day, but work hard enough to be able to do what you love more than just schoolwork.“

“In my opinion, one of the best pieces of advice I could give for sophomore year is to just really take advantage of getting to know people in your grade (outside your friend group) and possibly outside your grade. Freshman year is kind of in “survival mode” but because sophomore year is a little bit more relaxed, it’s important to keep others motivated (and hopefully others will do the same for you). Don’t let your grades slip, and make intentional time for the Lord in everyday devotionals. Appreciate every day you have with your friends and the teachers you get to know.”

“Don’t let projects stack up on you.”

Advice for juniors : junior year is a rollercoaster of work and emotions. The first year of being an upperclassman. This is where you form your best habits and dive into your academic life. It’s a time to start exploring colleges and the world you are about to go into!

“If you know a group is not right for you, remove yourself. It will all work out. I know there are many different cliques and groups throughout the grades, but even if you are “alone” for some time, it will work out (and sometimes this is better than being in a group that is not good for you).”

“People do change and you have to realize that. Sometimes for the good, but sometimes for the worse, but always give people a second chance. “

“Everything happens for a reason. It will all work out”

“High school is full of ups and downs, it is not always how it is portrayed in the movies. If you don’t necessarily have a good high school experience, your time will come. “

“It is important to get work done, but also to get some sleep. If you have a big test the next day, and you are up until 2 a.m. studying, your brain can’t retain all of that information or fully comprehend it. It can’t ‘digest’ the information (along with the limited hours of sleep you got). At that point, it is better to get more sleep and be rested for the test. Very few times is it helpful to cram until the last minute, you are better off getting more sleep, letting your brain rest, and comprehending the information you’ve gained.”

“You WILL end up where you are meant to be”

“Understand that a lot of the workload is temporary and as hard as it is push through it and do your best because you’ll regret it if you don’t. Also, don’t surround yourself with people who have negative influences on you, the less you talk about people, the more happy you become in life and the less you look down upon others”

“Respect yourself. You have a lot more good qualities than you realize, do not settle. ¨It´s good enough should not be part of your vocabulary, especially regarding the treatment you accept from others. Keep pushing for a stronger, more confident you, and do not accept the disrespect.”

“Don’t make so many cliques. Life is more fun when you have friends that are all different. The world doesn’t revolve around popularity and High school doesn’t have work like a 2000’s teen movie “

“Do not take a class just for the AP or Honors credit. Keep your GPA up by taking classes you know you will do well in instead. Mental health matters.”

“Enjoy every second! It goes fast, you will blink and the year will be over, and the next thing you know you’ll be entering your last year of high school. If you can take it easy, maybe take that AP class you have been thinking about, yes you can handle it but is it worth it? We all spend too much time working our tail ends off trying to get all A’s and AP credits and set ourselves up for a ‘Better future’ but a lot of the things you do here won’t matter in 20 years. Open your eyes and look around, have fun, take a chance and work on your fears or build a new friendship. Learn to love where you are at! coming from someone who has transferred schools before the grass is not greener on the other side. learn to love it where you’re at because everywhere has its own problems. Summary: slow down and enjoy high school, take risks, and love where you’re at! “

“I would encourage them to just make the best of high school and enjoy time with their friends, and try hard in school but try not to stress it too much so you have fun with friends.”

“Savor the year! It goes by faster than you could imagine!”

“Don’t let yourself get behind always keep up with your work you might think that you have the whole year to get your grades up and that the first test grade of a quarter doesn’t matter but it does so stay on top of your studying”

Advice for seniors : senior year, almost to the finish line! Seniors have waited 3 long years for this moment, and it is finally their time to be the oldest students in the school! With college on the horizon, senior year is all about acceptances, early releases, graduations and goodbyes. This year will go by in a flash, so enjoy it!

“Prioritize school, but don’t take it too seriously. That’s not to say don’t try. But if you are sacrificing your enjoyment of life for your work, then just take a step back from it and go do something stupid with your friends and just take the late points on an assignment every now and then. You will be okay in the end. “

“Spend time with Jesus! Learn how to be okay by yourself, make friends with your teachers, they’re people too, have a grade group chat for constant entertainment and bonding, take a Gilson class if you want to learn how to think, and do your best to not procrastinate excessively, or at least be aware of it when you do “

“Everyone needs different advice, but for the shy and timid like me, know that other people don’t necessarily dislike you or think you are weird; it is on YOU to reach out to others and speak MORE to build these relationships because you will regret high school if you had no friends.”

“As a Senior, I have gone through all four years of my high school career with ups and downs. I have learned a lot, lost some things, gained some things, and, most importantly, grown in my faith. So, here is my advice to all the grades below me: Be positive— find the little things to be happy about each day. Even on hard days, there’s always something to be thankful for. Don’t hesitate to reach out to people, and don’t hesitate to make new friends, even if it’s the middle of the year. Take the extra two minutes of the day to do something nice for someone. As someone who has both given and received kindness, it goes a long way. Even though some people can seem perfect doesn’t mean that they aren’t struggling with things too. Don’t procrastinate— make sure to try to work on stopping a habit like that. What you may feel right now— heaviness, difficulty, sadness, negative emotions— can feel awful at the moment, but it’s all temporary. Even so, take in and love each day, try not to go through High School too quickly, and don’t forget to reflect. Take healthy risks— don’t be afraid to have the courage to go out of your comfort zone. You may find that you are able to thrive out of your comfort zone with God’s help and his hand-building and supporting you. Skip the stage of doubting and dive all into a relationship with Jesus. Have the courage to talk about your faith to other people— it’s not a separate part of our lives, it’s woven into our daily living, and it’s not ‘uncool’ to be a genuine Christian. It is uncool to be a fake, lukewarm Christian. If you’re living two different lives, people will see right through you and see that your faith is fake if what you say doesn’t match what you do. Faith and fun can go hand in hand.”

“If you decide to do a senior prank, don’t break into the school. It is not something that goes unnoticed.”

“Senior year is, in my opinion, much less stressful, school-wise, than previous years. That said, the college process is not easy. Remember to have fun senior year but keep working hard because it does still matter. If you are going to college, pray and ask God to show you what you need in a college so that when you see it, you know it! Stay firm in your faith because it is very easy to get distracted with the business of senior year. And lastly, build your existing friendships and make new ones. You never know they may be lifelong friendships! Senior year goes by super fast so take in every moment and be grateful for the time you’ve had!”