Alex Adams: Five things I want my senior self to remember
In the past, all I ever heard about the topic of growing up was, “Enjoy it while you’re young!” and “Ah, to be young again!” but that didn’t make much sense to me. All anyone wanted to do as a kid was adult things, so the fact that adults that I trusted and modeled myself were expressing the opposite desire was confusing, to say the least.
As my junior year comes to a close, I can understand the point they were trying to make many years ago. It’s truly shocking how in just a few short months I will be a senior and a few months away from knowing what college I will be attending. Although the ride through high school has been crazy, I’ve learned many valuable lessons and pieces of advice along the way.
Going into one of the most important summers of my academic life, there are certain things I want myself to remember through all the trials and tribulations of senior year.
Firstly, this year I felt like I took every test, quiz, and project too seriously and put too much pressure on myself to get an A on it. Next year, I am still going to try my hardest on them, but I need to remember that it’s never as serious as I originally thought and to not stress too much about it.
Secondly, throughout high school, I feel like I have just rushed through everything and didn’t cherish a good moment when it happened. I didn’t appreciate those moments until they were already over. So next year, I want to take it slow and appreciate every moment as they come.
Thirdly, no one minds what you’re doing. Be yourself and express yourself. No one is going to remember that one embarrassing moment you had months ago. Be yourself and let the little things go. Letting things go will allow you to live more freely and not care what others think as much.
Next, I personally feel like I have done a good job at this in high school but it is important to continue it into next year. Surrounding yourself with people that positively influence you and your mental health. A lot of the people I hang out with now are some of the best people I have ever met, but there have been people in the past that have had a major negative effect on me that I had to stray away from. I don’t want to surround myself with people who drag me down; I want to surround myself with people who bring me up.
Lastly, loving yourself through everything because if you can’t love yourself no one can. There have been too many experiences where I caught myself being hard on myself and I had to take a step back and reflect. Loving yourself is the first step.
Although I still have one more year, I have so much I can take away from high school so far. I plan to carry these lessons on to next year and end on a good note.
Mia McCandless: A freshman’s perspective through one year at PA
Kids are always dreaming of getting to high school, and it comes faster than expected. The transition from middle school to high school always sounded scary and difficult, but I don’t think it’s as difficult as people make it seem. My freshman year has been awesome. I’ve made lots of friends, built bonds with teachers, and found a community I know I can always count on.
Coming to PA, none of my friends were coming with me. Therefore, I thought I would be alone, but I soon found that to be false. I joined the marching band and before school even started and I was at PA during band camp. Most of my friends I’ve made so far came from there, and we were spending every day together for weeks, forming close bonds. It also gave me an idea of the layout of the school, so I wasn’t as lost.
My teachers this year have also been outstanding. I can always count on them to be there for me. I love talking with my teachers and building connections, making sure to be kind and respectful to strengthen the bonds with both teachers and students around me. Even if you feel alone, there is always at least one teacher or student that will be there for you.
Freshman year is not as hard as middle school teachers tell you it will be. It’s just a new building and new people that seem scary at first, but everyone warms up eventually. Make sure to get the schoolwork done and have as much fun as you can while doing it. Also, find extracurricular activities that you love. If you did something in middle school or you want to try something new, do it. PA has plenty of sports and clubs for your interests, and if you can’t find one you like, you can just make your own.
If you try and put yourself out there, the school year will fly by. The days might feel long but the months are short, and you need to savor every moment. Don’t get hung up on a few bad days or a bad grade. Just keep trying and everything will even out in the end. Keep in contact with middle school friends, but also make lots of new high school ones. Everything is a moment, make sure it’s a moment you want to remember.
