Staff Writer
High
school is an unforgettable time for many people. Good or bad, there are many
life experiences packed into the four years. It’s always good to start each
year with a little bit of advice. Let’s take a look at what current high school
students have to say to the upcoming classes.
- “Do your work. Don’t skip,” says Blaize Ward. You want to start your first year on the right foot. Set goals and foster good habits that will help you throughout your four years.
- “If you don’t do your homework, you fail,” Skylar Gnann bluntly states. Homework does count for a grade in most classes. Do the little things right and you will be surprised at how well you do in class.
- “Get gym over with” advises Timmy Breaton. It’s a basic requirement for graduation. Don’t put it off for another year; otherwise, you won’t be able to take electives you really enjoy.
- “Bring your own chair,” says Ismail Khan. OK, he’s just kidding, but Apex High is pretty crowded, so get used to big classes. You may not know everyone, but your freshman year is a great time to start building new friendships.
RISING
SOPHOMORES: Congratulations, you’ve made it through the first year of high
school. Now it is time to start looking ahead and building your student resume.
Below is some advice from rising juniors who have successfully navigated
sophomore year.
- “Manage your time, and balance school and out-of-school activities,” Nandi Bryan and Nikki Shere advise. It can be difficult to participate in lots of clubs, sports and keep up with higher level classes. Time management helps to keep a healthy balance in all your responsibilities
- “Don’t stress out over small stuff,” says Taylor Tyson. Sometimes you have to look at the big picture and not let little details consume your energy
- “Take a foreign language” comments Soren Bradly. Sophomore year is really the time do get basic classes out of the way. Waiting to take a foreign language later may compromise schedules with other classes or activities your junior and senior years in high school.
- “Take APES,” Kirk Cunningham suggests. It is never too early to start challenging yourself. AP Environmental Science will knock out a science requirement and give a nice boost to your GPA.
RISING JUNIORS: Now you’re an upperclassman. Feeling more comfortable with your school? It is time to take things to a whole new level. AP classes, strong involvement in clubs and activities you joined your first two years, and more responsibility. Here is what those who have made it through the toughest year in high school have to say.
- “Don’t give up,” says Tyler Horton. Classes will get more difficult. Your schedule will seem busier, and at times you may just want to throw everything to the wind and give up. DON’T. It will be worth it in the end. Plenty of students have made it through this tough year before you and you can to.
- “Don’t waste time on useless relationships,” advises Cole lamb. It can be an easy distraction from all your responsibilities, so don’t waste your time fostering a relationship with someone that you know won’t last.
- “Get ready for the ACT and the SAT,” says Zaria Ward. Colleges do look at these standardized tests, and it can be a pain to have to take them more than once. Study for them the first time around and you won’t have to retake it. The tests are a lot less stressful to those who are prepared.
- “Be prepared for a whole lot of work. APs are a whole other step up from Honors classes,” Davis Dupree says. It is true, these classes are difficult and require a lot of work; however, it is good training for college, which will be here before you know it.
RISING SENIORS: Welcome to the top of the food chain. This is your last year, so learn to make the most of it. Below are words of wisdom from the class of 2014:
- “Do not believe the hype that it is easy. Don’t give up half way through, I mean, you made it this far,” says Devrim Goktan. Louis Le agrees saying, “Keep focused on school. Don’t get senioritis.” It can be hard to keep up with high school work after you’ve been accepted to college and get excited about what the future holds. However, colleges do look at your second semester, so don’t slack off!
- “Apply to colleges through early admission,” advises Will Casola. You will know sooner where you are going and will also have time to make decisions as the letters come in. Applying for regular admissions doesn’t really give you enough time to make a final decision.
- “Apply for a lot of scholarships, you’ll be surprised at how much money you get,” says Ryan Schmedding. There is a scholarship out there for almost everything, and college is expensive. If you meet the qualifications, there is no negative consequence in applying. So why not?
- “Know how to ask for a recommendation,” advises English teacher Maria Knall. Recommendations are crucial in all of your applications and it is important to ask for them correctly and timely. Give your teacher all the information including the college name(s), when the recommendations are due, a stamped and addressed envelope and a student resume. Be sure to give your teacher enough time to complete the letter by the due date. Remember they are busy people and writing a recommendation for you is a favor.
