The years leading to high school are supposed to be spent preparing you for what’s to come in grades 9th-12th. But sometimes that’s not enough. There’s more freedom with schedules and so much to fill it with, there’s more competition in sports, everyone’s pushing for at least one more point on their GPA, there’s college applications to build, the SAT to prep for; where does one even begin?
Therefore, it is important to have mentors, whether it be an older sibling, a counselor, parents, teachers, or a senior who doesn’t want their mistakes to be repeated. Seniors at Steinbrenner High School were asked for their best advice for freshmen through three questions:
What do you wish your freshman self had known when you first started high school?
Challenging yourself
Freshmen are known as the “babies” of the school and often do not know what to do going forward in their high school years. One big element that they should know is to challenge themselves. “Something I wish I had known when I was a freshman was to take harder classes because I feel like it helps boost your GPA, and it helps with your future because now I have to take more classes.” Said Cole Nedow
Envision your goals and make them possible
It’s easy to lose sight of the path you intended for yourself when surrounded by new people, experiences, and a new level of independence. Theres clubs to sign up for, sports get a little more serious and time-consuming, GPA pressure haunts you, and your grade and efforts are up to you. As overwhelming as it may seem, don’t let it scare you. Growing up with making big shoes for herself to fill, Adalyn Scherer felt the pressure of being prepared, but there’s something she wish she would have known in the beginning: “I wish I had known how important it was to let go because things will happen but you will overcome it. It’s okay to not have it all figured out and set in stone.”
Put yourself out there
Being a freshman is not always the easiest thing because it means you are the youngest group in a new school. That doesn’t mean that you can’t explore your new options though, it is good to put your self out there, whether that is joining clubs or meeting new people. “I wish I had known to join everything, to join a bunch of clubs, and fun extracurriculars. Because I regret it now that I didn’t start them earlier in my high school years.” Said Hannah Murphy. Even if you don’t feel comfortable talking to others at least try because it gives you great opportunities for the future.
What mistakes did you learn from during your high school years?
He who walks with wise men will be wise
In your first year of high school your desperate to fit into whatever group you can. You may loose friends that you’ve been friends with since elementary or you may gain friends but no matter what, know what is right from wrong, don’t change yourself to fit in. “Some mistakes that I learned from were being around the wrong people, if you want to succeed in life put yourself around people that will care for you, and people that will have your best interest in mind, and not try and drag you down.” Said Nedow. It’s good to be around people who will want to be friends with you for who you are.
Procrastination is a silent killer
High school can seem hard at times, but there are also some easy classes that you will not be too worried about. Don’t let the pressure from the harder classes let you lose sight of your other work. Procrastination is one of the biggest things that brings students down when it comes to work and doing good in school. “The mistakes that I have learned from are that procrastination is bad; it’s definitely something I’m still learning to get out of. I think that having good friends helped me get out of it, all my friends are super high achievers, we all have the same college goals, we want to graduate high in our class, to get all A’s. Having a circle of friends that has the same goals as you and supports you is super important.” Said Schere. Even though procrastination might not seem like a bad thing at first, be sure to make sure it isn’t a habit.
Keep your friend group simple
Having a lot of friends can be great at times but it can also be overwhelming. People are all different in so many ways and it’s hard to be with that much of a variety of personalities all at once. “The mistakes that I learned from during my high school years were actually having too many varieties of friend groups because they were all so very different. So, with that I felt like I had to constantly be different and now I just have one friend group. So, I think that you should just keep it simple, it’s better to be around people who you can be yourself around.” Said Murphy
What helped you stay motivated in school throughout your years here at Steinbrenner?
Friday nights to future goals
Being passionate about something helps you drive through your high school years faster than others because you have something to look forward too at the end of the week or morning practice. Having a team that is counting on you not only makes you want to better yourself but put more effort into the team. “As a football player I have gotten the opportunity to receive two offers from NAIA universities, it pushed me these pass couple of years to take harder classes, to try my best to get good grades, and to be a better person overall. In sports I can feel a part of something instead of just riding along with the roller coaster that is at school.” Said Nedow. Knowing that universities are watching you throughout your years means that you have to push for that better version of yourself for your team and your future.
Becoming the best me
Setting goals for your future is a great way to plan out your soon to be achievements and can help you stay motivated through your long path of high school. When you plan ahead in life it allows you to be less stressed about what you have to do next and guides you to focus on your goals. “My goals have helped me stay motivated, ever since I was little, I always knew I would go to college, graduate high school, I was in all of the little clubs. Being responsible of things greater than myself helps me remember that I have to stay on top of things and be a greater version of myself.” Said Scherer. There are many ways to make achievements in high school you just have to have fun and stay focused.
After School, After Stress
Having something to look forward to at the end of the week is a great way to stay motivated and keep up with everything at school. Being a freshman means that you have to get involved with everything at school. Always be sure to put your self out there because you never know when the next opportunity will come. “School events definitely helped me stay motivated, like the football games and dressing up for all of the different spirit weeks, dressing up for all of the football themes as well, along with doing things with my friends. Anything after school really kept me motivated.” Said Murphy. From showing school spirit to joining a lot of clubs, these are great ways you can be included with your classmates.
