Staff, upperclassmen offer freshmen high school advice

As freshmen prepare to come to the high school next year, staff and high school students had advice for them to be successful in their upcoming transition.

Holmes English teacher Jennifer Hartz emphasized the importance of staying tough. She said, “Start strong and be brave.”

High school French teacher Holly Henriksen had a number of tips. The biggest thing she said was “Ask your teachers for help. That’s our job, we want you to be successful.”

In addition to reaching out to helpful staff, she said helpful friends are also key. “Your friends are an extension of who you are. Choose them well.” 

Senior Hunter van Heiden also said it’s important to pick healthy contacts.  “If someone does stuff you don’t like or doesn’t want to be around you should stay away from them as much as possible and trust your gut when it comes to determining if someone is a person you should hang around with. Don’t believe all the rumors you hear about people.” 

Henriksen noted that the new school will bring new opportunities, so students should embrace them. “Try new clubs, sports, extracurricular activities, etc. You never know what you’ll like, and it’s a good way to meet new people. Don’t be ‘too cool’ to take part in events at the high school. Try everything at least once like homecoming, powderpuff, club meetings, senior sunrise, etc.” 

The final thing she had advice for was “get a planner or use Google Calendar. Please. I am begging you. Stay organized. It really helps, especially with your employability grades.”

Sophomore Marilyn Christie also noted paying attention to responsible practices as key to success. 

“Start turning things in on time so when you get here the employability grade won’t kill ya. Have a strong head on your shoulders. Make close knit friends so you have people you can fall back to if things go south and have a routine.”