By Mighty Burapachaisri & Jase Kemp
Regrets and Advice: Words from Sophomores
Entering high school is a drastic transition in everyone’s life. The new faces, environment, teachers, and classmates all play a huge role in the terrifying anticipation of what awaits in freshman year. However, your experiences as a freshman do not necessarily need to be terrifying. Your first chapter in highschool can be fun, exciting as well as an educational experience. What most students need is just a guiding hand, someone who is willing to understand their problems as well as their fears. Who are these people who can truly comprehend and relate to the problems that these young freshmen experience? Well, it is none other than the sophomores, students who were just freshmen the previous year. We have gathered and interviewed 6 sophomores of the Class of 2023 to talk about their experience and regrets, as well as give advice to current and rising freshmen in this article. This is what they had to say:
Angie (10-7): Angie’s biggest regret as a Freshman was not developing good studying habits at the beginning of the school year. Angie says, “transitioning to high school is a scary phase in your life but having good studying habits can help reduce the stress as well as prepare you for the future.” In addition, she believes that being a high school student is the best time to not only have fun but to also explore your passions. Angie suggests that upcoming and current freshmen should explore their passions through joining different clubs and committees that suit their interests. Last but definitely not least, Angie candidly said that, “[during] freshman year, just have fun, but be mindful that in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade, things will be a lot tougher.”
Kris (10-2): Kris talked about the importance of managing your stress and acknowledging the pressure and competition that you’ll inevitably face in highschool. Kris explained that the pressure that high schoolers face is unavoidable and that in itself is totally normal. Pressure and competition occur often in a high school setting. However, Kris believes that “you shouldn’t compare yourself with others, compare yourself with your past self and acknowledge your individual growth.” Furthermore, to deal with the stress of highschool as well as its workload, Kris advised that freshmen should always get enough sleep to not only feel refreshed but also energised to learn the next day: “If it’s already very late and you still have your homework, don’t cram! Get some rest so that you can be ready and mentally prepared for tomorrow’s classes.”
Team (10-3): During our interview with Team, he stressed the importance of sports and sleep, as well as building bonds and relationships with new people. Team believes that playing sports provides students with a “temporary escape” from the stressful things in school. It also allows you to spend quality time with friends while doing the things you both enjoy. Team, similarly to Kris, also shared the importance of sleep and rest: “Sleep is extremely crucial to your high school career. Through sleep, you learn more and perform better in quizzes and tests!” Ultimately, Team said that upcoming high schoolers should reach out to upperclassmen. He says, “Freshmen should build bonds and relationships with upperclassmen so that they guide you through high school through both sports and academics.” Lastly, Team advised that freshmen should enjoy their first chapters as a high school student while also being hardworking and vigilant!
Bonus (10-1): What Bonus regretted in freshman year was not creating bonds with more people he wasn’t comfortable with. He said that sooner or later, you and your close friends will have to separate because of your different interests and classes. Not having someone to talk to and being by yourself can be stressful, especially in hard courses; therefore, taking the time to make new friends from all grade levels will be beneficial in the long run. In the interview, Bonus also described his exam experience and what to expect. He says, “Exams can be scary, and at times, they are. However, the exams don’t affect your grade as much as you think. Current/rising freshmen should study hard, do your best, and forget the rest.” In addition, Bonus said that sometimes, things in life and school just don’t go as you planned, you just have to get back up and work harder! Lastly, when it comes to studying it is very important to have good quality notes, but you should be careful of what you put in your notes. If you put everything the teacher is saying, you are most likely going to have missed some of the key ideas and evidence. A good tip for taking notes is find out or think about what are the main ideas or questions that you are working towards. When something is brought up that relates, jot it down with a brief and precise explanation.
Sushi (10-4): Sushi says it is very important to make sure you give yourself a break and relieve stress. As a freshman she did not relieve stress enough, rather she spent loads of time studying. After looking back on that year, she realized that although she got good grades, she could have achieved the same result with more free time and less work time. Even though it’s good to take breaks and de-stress, there is a certain extent to each factor of this work-break relationship, so keep that in mind. Along with this regarding clubs Sushi believes that clubs are very important because they allow you to connect with others, such as upperclassmen. Making these connections can allow you to get the more insights about high school, and the more friends, the more fun. Moreover, the service events are good opportunities that do not come by regularly. Starting a new club yourself can give you more of a chance to become an executive member in the following years. Finally, Sushi stated that the whole high school experience is something to look forward to because no matter what, you will learn and grow a lot. Sometimes things may be fun, but other times you may just get overwhelmed and break down. This is normal. Don’t worry because it happens to the best of us, but just know that everything will be ok. In the end, this experience will make you a better person.
Jase (10-1): In my opinion, sports are very much worth it if you can manage your time properly. Sports help relieve your stress because in these moments of adrenaline and fun, you forget all about work and just focus on what’s at hand. On top of that, sports are a good way to stay in shape and stay fit, which is very necessary in life. Also, you should always make sure to plan things out. For example, you should plan ahead, around winter break, about what courses you want to take next, so you don’t get stuck with ones that don’t fit you. Make sure to change your schedule ASAP if you are not happy with it so that you can ensure your satisfaction. On the topic of sleep, it is extremely important. From my experience, whenever I didn’t get enough sleep, I was pretty useless the next day, so you freshmen should take advantage of your free time by sleeping. Sleeping is also super healthy in general, and some benefits of sleeping properly include: boosting your immune system, preventing weight gain, bettering your mood, increasing productivity, and improving your memory.
From these 6 interviews, there is no denying that freshman year will be a scary and somewhat weird transition in your life as a student. New faces, new environments and unimaginable walking distances all contribute to an anxiety-inducing idea of what awaits in your first year of high school. However, there is also no denying that your first chapter in high school will be over in the blink of an eye. Thus, in this short yet exciting time, explore your passions and interests, learn from your mistakes, build bonds and new friendships, study hard, work diligently, and never forget to have fun!
Questions to ask interviewees:
- What are some regrets you had during freshman year
- Experience taking the exam
- Study tips
- Time managing
- Sports: is it worth it?
- Stress relief techniques
- Anything regarding sleep?
- Advice about teachers
- Advice about clubs
- What to look forward to? (games day, KB, etc)
- Friends?
Bonus:
- I didn’t take the chance to open up to more people, just my usual friends, it would have been better to make more friends/upperclassmen because as year will go on the classes you take will probably be different from them and you will be sad – some class were underestimated, accel math – didn’t take as much time to hang out with friends outside of school.
- Fav part of the exam: loved the schedule because it was a lot of free time – Worst: the fear and anticipation of the Exam and grades
- Take good notes that are short, but precise and review them after every class + have a study group/friends
- When you get home take a small break and go straight into homework so you don’t get trapped in a hole
- They are worth it because they relieve your stress because you forget all about work + it makes you more fit and boost self esteem.
- Plan ahead around winter break for what courses you want to take next, so you can get the actually courses and don’t get stuck with bad ones, try to change you schedule asap if you are not happy with it
Sushi :
- Did not stress relieve enough, spent loads of time studying she realized that she could have balanced with more free time and less work time
- Know what you are learning, use flex blocks, ask many questions, find subjects that you are having trouble in and focus more on those subjects.
- Getting a Planner or schedule
- Clubs are very important because they allow you to connected with others such as upperclassmen, and the service events are good opportunities that are not that easy to come by regularly, also starting in a club now gives you more chance to become exec
- The whole high school experience is something to look forward too because no matter what you will learn and grow a lot, sometimes things may be fun or other times you may just get overwhelmed and break down its alright it happened to the best of us just know that High will make you a better person
Team:
- “Procrastinate too much.”
- EXAM: Didn’t start studying fast enough
- Had to cram
- Don’t cram work
- Take good notes since the beginning – they will save you during exams
- Sleep is super important
- You’ll learn much more and perform better
- “Playing sports is great, not only are you able to spend time with friends but it also takes your mind off the stressful things in school.”
- Build bonds and relationships with upperclassmen so that they can guide you through highschool through both sports and academics
- “Don’t be scared of upperclassmen! Most of them are nice.”
- Develop good studying habits since freshman year
- Knowledge Bowl and Games Day
- School events like Knowledge Bowl and Games Day are the best time to stress release
- Choose electives that you truly enjoy since core classes will give you a lot of stress
- Enjoy your time in Freshmen and still be vigilant
Kris:
- “I regret not doing all the homework. Sometimes you are not prepared well enough for the tests.”
- EXAM:
- “Don’t stress too much about it.”
- Everything is going to be okay
- If it’s already super late you don’t cram and do your homework. Get some rest so that you can be energised and be mentally prepared for tomorrow’s class
- “Don’t compare yourself with others, compare yourself with your individual growth.”
- “Competition is good as long as you use it as a goal-setter and motivator, not something that makes you feel down.”
- “Do sports but to a certain extent because academics is also important to your future.”
- Enjoy freshmen year
- “Be open to meet new people.”
- Games Day and Knowledge Bowl:
- Have fun, even though you might lose
- Talk to your counselor
- If you’re not joining any Varsity teams try to complete all of your P.E. credits
- Have friends that have similar interests and goals
- Stress less and socialize more
Angie:
- “My biggest regret is not joining a club or not committing to a club because now I feel like I have a late start among my friends.”
- Try out new things
- Exam:
- “Clarify your doubts.”
- Always ask questions whenever you have a question, you’ll regret it later
- Always listen in class
- “Don’t be like a team.”
- “Don’t need to worry about studying so much. I used to go to sleep at 12a.m. and wake up at 4a.m to get more work done during the first semester. In the second semester, I stopped during this and my GPA as well as my mental health improve a lot.”
- “Don’t think you’re worse than someone just because of your grades.”
- “In freshman year, don’t be afraid to do new things, it’s a good stress reliever.”
- “I know that when there is a sports game or event I would study hard the day before since I know I would be very tired the next day.”
- “Develop good study habits, because it’s only going to get harder from there.”
- Agreed with team
- Don’t take courses just because your friends take them
- “Freshman year, just have fun but be mindful that in 10th, 11th and 12th grade that things will be a lot tougher.”
- Pick your friends
