To the freshmen…
After you graduated 8th grade, you may have thought you had it all figured out. You survived the stages of elementary school and the jungles of middle school, surely, you must be prepared for what high school has in store.
As you take your first steps into the world of high school, feelings of excitement and nervousness knot your stomach.
What will happen? Will I make friends? Do I have to start preparing for college already? Will I like my classes? Has my childhood officially ended?
Rather than falling into a pitfall of the unknown, stumbling blindly into your freshman year, take advantage of the collective advice from students of the senior class as you navigate the mysteries of high school.
Entering a new community can be both scary and exciting as you begin to familiarize yourself with the friends and peers you will spend your next four years with. As you begin to develop friendships with others, it is important to remember that everyone else is also adjusting to the new environment.
“Have unconditional kindness and respect to everyone but also choose your friends and those who you want to surround yourself with wisely,” Grace Zhu (‘25) said.
Treating those in your community with openness and respect is key as you begin to make friends.
“Find your group of people. There are all kinds of people out there and you do not have to be friends with everyone,” Chelsea Wei (‘25) said. “Find the ones that deserve your time and emotions and stay close to them.”
Following orientation week, once things begin to settle down, it is time for classes to start. The beginning of your high school academics might feel intimidating but developing a good set of habits early on is essential to future academic success.
“What many others say, finish your homework the day it’s assigned, and you’ll be fine,” Ryan Ho (‘25) said. “Not that I’m very good at this, but I’m always fine when I can maintain this.”
“Don’t check your phone for an hour after you wake up!” Finn Bulson (‘25) said. “Doing so will make it harder to focus. Sleeping less than eight hours will also make it harder to focus. Yes, it sounds lame to set a bedtime, but you will have more free time if you finish.”
As the beginning of school starts to transition and you settle into a routine, it’s essential to take things one step at a time. Not figuring things out from the start is completely okay.
“It is okay to feel confused, homesick, and disoriented,” Chelsea said. “It is part of the experience at Webb.” “When you look back at your high school journey, at the challenges you have faced, you would feel proud that you made it through, and it really is not a big deal.”
To the sophomores and juniors…
Congrats, you made it through freshman year! Summer break has just ended and knowing that you are entering campus but this time with a growth spurt, a friend group and familiarity with high school, you are feeling confident. In just a year, you have grown so much, but the conversations surrounding the difficulty of IPC and the challenges of sophomore year worry you a bit.
Well, here’s one solution… make a schedule!
“Keep in mind what you want to finish and accomplish, and try to complete it ASAP,” Chelsea said. “With your to-do list completed, you will feel a lot less ‘guilty’ when you go out to eat or scroll on TikTok.”
“I could set up blocks of times [on Google Calendar] to complete certain tasks which helped me visualize different activities,” Grace said.
“Every Sunday, I make a schedule for the week,” Finn said. “It took some practice, but it was easier to follow after a while.”
Sophomore and junior years are the best times to explore what works for you. If you are an early planner or simply someone who likes to get ahead, sophomore year is also a great time to explore your interests.
“Try to go beyond what is offered on campus, you should go explore what you’re genuinely interested in,” Grace said.
Once you have explored a bit more about yourself and your interests, it is crucial to stay true to yourself as you enter your junior year. Though it may feel tempting to do things for the stake of college application, pursuing activities that you have genuine interests and passion in will help you in the long run.
“Try more variety, don’t focus so much on doing what looks good for college applications, because truly that’s not going to be the affecting factor,” Ryan said. “What’s more important is doing what you genuinely care about, which for me meant trying as many activities as I could in my four years.”
To the rising seniors…
Summer has just ended and now you are about to begin the time that seniors had warned you about the most: college applications. As you begin to think about this process, you can’t help but wonder if you spent your junior summer in the most productive way. The thought of putting your story on a piece of paper terrifies you.
How will I navigate such a stressful time?
Despite the feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty, it is all a part of the process.
“Stop blaming yourself because all your mistakes become a part of your journey that will help you grow,” Grace said.
The key to surviving the first semester of senior year is putting yourself first, because a happy and healthy you is the best you.
“Make time for yourself,” Chelsea said. “If you need a day to binge watch some shows or sleep all day — give yourself a break on the weekends. If you have problems academically, go to office hours — it really helps.”
“I played videogames to relieve stress and take a break when I was feeling overwhelmed with my workload,” Grace said.
“My life outside Webb, leaving school, attending events outside, trying to meet people outside this school helped me manage academic stress,” Ryan said.
Junior year can feel intense and overwhelming, but by prioritizing your needs, you can tackle any challenges that come your way. Remember that everyone is on their own unique journey, so give yourself room for grace and reach for the stars!
“Seize the opportunities that come up.” Ryan said. “Dream big and try to make happen whatever you imagine”
