High school goes by way faster than anyone tells you. One minute you’re a freshman trying to find your classes, and the next you’re a senior getting ready to leave it all behind. As two seniors reflecting on these past four years, we’ve realized that each year brought new challenges, experiences, and perspectives. If we could go back, these are the lessons we’d want to remember.

Freshman Year:

Starting your first year in high school can feel overwhelming, but it’s also one of the best opportunities to put yourself out there! Freshman year is an opportunity for new beginnings. Join clubs, play sports, and attend school dances; getting involved is one of the easiest ways to meet new people, including upperclassmen who can give good advice and support.

At the same time, start building strong study habits and time management skills early on because those will help carry you through the rest of high school. Setting up a strong academic foundation will help in the long run. Most importantly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have everything figured out. Freshman year is about learning and adjusting, so focus on getting involved and gaining healthy habits for the rest of your time in high school.

Sophomore Year:

Now that you’ve completed your first full year in high school, it’s time to narrow down your interests with your classes and extracurriculars. A big part of high school is figuring out what you are passionate about, so you can get involved in activities related to that interest. If you want to become a doctor, volunteer with a local hospital! If you want to study business, get an internship with a local small business! This may seem intimidating to do in just your second year of high school however, it helps in the long run. The experiential learning department offers plenty of resources to find opportunities related to your interests, so take advantage of those and get involved as soon as possible.

Also, remember to be flexible and accepting of change. You should always be open to meeting new people and making new friends, and sophomore year is a great time to make sure you are getting to know everyone, not just your close friend group. Chances are, your best friends won’t be the exact same people that you started high school with, so remember to be open-minded and kind to everyone you meet.

Junior Year:

Many students would agree that junior year is the most difficult year of high school, as this is the year that your grades truly matter the most for colleges. Junior year is full of heavy coursework, standardized testing, and the looming presence of college applications slowly approaching every month.

The best thing to tell yourself when handling this difficult year is to just do it. You may feel burnt out, stressed, and anxious about high-stakes tests you must pass, but it will all be worth it in the end once you get through the year. Just remember that these stressful experiences are only temporary, and every student must go through them to get to senior year.

Senior Year:

Senior year is exciting, but it can also be easy to lose focus. With college applications, deadlines, and big decisions ahead of you, it is important to stay organized and not procrastinate, especially in the first semester. Make your plans after high school your priority, and give yourself time to put real effort into applications, essays, and scholarships.

At the same time, avoid falling into “senioritis” too early, because your grades still matter and can impact your final transcripts. As the year goes on, take time to slow down and appreciate the little moments; the year truly goes by faster than you expect. Remember that a lot of these people you may never see again, so you should cherish every day like it is the last time. Attend senior events, make memories with your friends, and try to never forget all of the lessons and experiences you had during your short time in high school.

After looking back on the past four years, we can tell that the main theme of high school is growth. While it’d be great to go through the years having everything figured out, the experience is really about learning as you go and being open to unexpected change. As we move on to the next chapter of our lives, we’ll carry these lessons with us and always cherish the memories we made at Seven Hills.