Advice column!

From Olivia Long:

Start a daily gratitude practice (journal, before you fall asleep, etc.)

Keep a book that you’re reading for fun with you always (makes you less likely to reach for your phone!)

I highly recommend the free “Yale Science of Well-Being Course” by Laurie Santos on Coursera.

From Alexis Quintero: 

My biggest piece of advice is to never stray away from what you love just because others don’t like it or it doesn’t conform to what others deemed as cool/trendy. In other words, never let anyone dull your sparkle.

From Danielle Burr:

Trust that Jesus Christ loves you and has a plan for your life, and never forget that relationship with him will be the greatest source of happiness you will ever find.

From Eva Becker: 

Seek people out  who are different from you.

Follow your interests and passions and let that be what guides you.

Fall in love with the classes you’re taking – deepen your passions.

From the seniors:

For those of you choosing classes, I would recommend making sure you include one or two easy/fun classes among the more challenging ones. It will make the year go by so much faster and it is important to have something to look forward to every day.

Do not give yourself any expectations for the year. Expect nothing and appreciate every moment.

Do your summer school packets and assignments EARLY. Don’t wait until the last week of summer.

A piece of advice I would give to the class of 2024 as they enter their senior year is to get your college applications done early so you do not stress as much and get all your work done! You may feel “done,” tired, and senioritis might be hard, but just push through!

Do college applications early! Apply to schools everywhere.

Make sure to stay on top of essays! It really sucks when they stack up before the deadline. But, also make sure to have fun! You only have one more year with all your classmates!!

If you get Mrs. Hubbard for English, purchase the book as soon as you can and stay on track with your annotations. Also, don’t be afraid to make new friends and explore different friend groups, even if it is your last year.

Pick a day each week to have a fun dinner with your friends so that the weeks are more fun! We would have Taco Tuesday, and it was so nice to hang out with friends mid-week and have something to look forward to!! (HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND ENJOY EVEN THE LITTLE MOMENTS BECAUSE IT GOES SO FAST!!!)

Do everything. Don’t say no to fun experiences!

Make the most of every opportunity you get! You don’t want to regret anything because you held yourself back.

Apply to a variety of colleges including a target, reach, and safety. It’s important to have options as you never know what colleges may be looking for that particular year.

Take it all in! It will go by WAY faster than you think!

Start looking at and applying to colleges sooner rather than later.

The year will definitely have inevitable ups and downs, but remember to just live in the moment and create meaningful memories. It’s cheesy, but true. Stay humble.

Don’t waste time wishing you went out more or were friends with more people, just do it. Put yourself out there, make plans, this is your last year to get to know and spend time with the amazing people surrounding you. And GO ON KAIROS!!!!

My advice would be not to procrastinate, don’t give up, and enjoy every day as it comes to you. Some days won’t be fun and will include a lot of work, but it is one of the last few moments spent in high school, with your friends, in a familiar environment. Have fun, take chances, do things out of your comfort zone. Invite a new friend over, ask that guy out, ride the ride at the state fair that you were too scared to ride before.

Make every moment the fullest, because these moments are some of the few you will experience. And don’t worry about college, just stay on top of deadlines and watch for decision updates. If you don’t get into a school you wanted, then it was fate. Keep an open mind and know that no matter what, it will all work out in the end.

Don’t stress about it. Have fun. Take advantage of Study Hall.

To enjoy every moment while it lasts.

Take advantage of every moment with friends, family and every opportunity you are given throughout the year. This is your last year with all of these people before you take the next step and you should take advantage of being with everyone before you go.

Spend as much time with friends and family as possible, since this may be your last chance to do so. Appreciate every aspect of high school, no matter how grueling, because it will soon end. You got this, and I wish you the best of luck!

When applying to college, do NOT put business as your major unless you’re 100% certain that is what you want to do. It is the most competitive program and will affect the outcome of your college decisions. You are better off majoring in something in another program if you want to get into a specific school.

Do it all. Try it all.

Do not start annotating the day before annotations are due.

Ask about Rio Salado in order to learn about its perks and disadvantages. I didn’t know or understand it until junior year and by then it was too late.

I would apply for your colleges and choose one of them as soon as possible. Get all the documents and requirements in so you don’t have to stress about it later. You’ll have the advantage of choosing your housing and classes sooner. Also, apply for scholarships as soon as possible! Once you have most of this out of the way, spend more time with your friends and family and less time stressing about your grades. It will all work out in the end. Make your senior year count!

Enjoy every single second. It sounds cliche, but this year has passed by way too fast. Take every chance you get and spend time with people who truly make you happy.

Make sure to surround yourself with people who lift you up and appreciate you for who you are. Don’t let people change you and make sure to strut down the hallways with confidence and optimism.

Hug the people you love! You never know when you will be told you’ll have to stay 6 feet away from them, or have someone be virtual for an extended period of time, so hug the people around you ‘cause time truly does go by fast!