Kids are in school for 126 months from kindergarten to their senior year trying to learn as much as they can before they are off on their own. High school has been seen as the most important time in their lives since they were little. But once students get to that point, it is easy to get overwhelmed.
Many students enter high school with no clue how it is actually going to be.
“One thing I wish I knew about high school was how quickly it goes by,” senior Kaeden Ransom said via a student survey.
Every year, students count down the days until summer break, but many do not realize that every day that passes is one day closer to leaving school, family, and friends – all for their future.
Although most people are excited for the day they finally get to leave, many students also find it frightening to think about their whole future.
High school is supposed to be designed to get students ready for their lives, careers, and future into the real world.
“One piece of advice I would give the underclassmen is remember that this is a place that will help you realize what you want to do with the rest of your life,” Ransom said. “Do not take classes because they seem easy, but take classes that will help you with the rest of your life and maybe even the career you have in mind.”
Many students emphasized that during their high school career, having people around them greatly helped their experience. Whether that be friends, teachers, or counselors, upperclassmen said that having others there to help them through their journey was important.
“Build relationships with your teachers! This is one of the best things you can do, it will make you more comfortable in their class and make it easier to ask questions,” junior Marissa Thomas said.
Thomas said her relationships with her teachers helped her many times during her high school years.
“There have been times where I have been upset and my teachers just let me sit there with them and cry it out,” Thomas said.
Growing up, everybody gains and loses friends for many different reasons. Having so many different individuals around students can help them meet new people.
“Being around so many people it helps you bring a lot of new perspectives,” senior Madi Frye said. “You don’t have one set pathway, you get to create your own.”
With all these new perspectives around them, students have said how finding a few friends and sticking with them really helped them stay away from the high school “drama.”
“High school can be a very cliquey place,” Thomas said. “I think most people can get really caught up in the drama, when really, it’s nice just to have two or three close friends.”
Many students like Thomas agree that extracurriculars can help when dealing with a new environment. It helps bring new people into students’ lives and helps them discover what their interests are.
“Extracurriculars helped play a major role in my switch from Dempsey to Hayes,” Thomas said. “With color guard and student council, I met so many new people I never thought I would be friends with, but they turned out to be the nicest people.”
Mostly, seniors want underclassmen to appreciate and take advantage of every moment. “Actually listen to people when they say high school goes by fast,” senior Madison Salyers said via a student survey. “I never thought that 4 years could go by so quickly.”