By: Morgan Epperly and the newspaper seniors
In no particular order, this is a compilation of advice for rising 9th graders all the way to rising seniors from the AK Chronicle Senior class of 2015. We know high school is a long and difficult ride because we just survived all four years of it. All of us have given our blood, sweat and tears to make it to the end, but we have also enjoyed many laughs, friendships and life lessons. This is our way of sharing words of wisdom from our experience.
Find hobbies outside of school. It is very important to be well rounded but involvement is not limited to Ardrey Kell’s fantastic athletic department. Ardrey Kell also offers a variety of clubs and organizations that are open to all classes. The more involved you are, the more fun you can make your high school experience.
Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is crucial to your body functions, external health and mood. Receiving a good night’s sleep, averaging at 6-8 hours per night, is linked to improving academic, athletic and social performance in students. Sleep; not just for you but your parents’, peers’ and teachers’ sake.
Do college applications as early as possible. During your senior year, things get chaotic and time gets away from you. The best thing you can do to relieve yourself of some stress is complete your applications as soon as you can. For some colleges, you can find out whether or not you have been accepted quicker if you apply earlier.
Keep up with your grades. Your freshman and sophomore years are very important! These years lay the foundation for your GPA and it is very difficult to make up for slack once you get to your junior year.
Participate in study groups. Some people learn best when they have lessons explained by their peers. In a study group, there is an opportunity for students to teach each other in the areas of their strength. The best thing you can do for yourself is find the strategy of learning that works for you and stick with it.
Do not think you have to go to a certain college to be successful. There is no shame in not going to an Ivy League school, I promise. There is also no shame in going to a community college; it is often a more affordable way to take General Education courses. You do not even have to go to a four year college if that is not for you. The best advice we can give is to do what makes your knowledge, heart and happiness grow.
Appreciate the friendships you have now & Be okay with the fact that you might not be friends after high school. When I started high school, I came with all of my friends from middle school and then met a bunch of nice people on the first day. As the years passed, many of us grew apart or fell apart in our friendships. Next year, most of us will be in college all over the state, country and world. I probably will not stay in touch with 90% of the people I knew in high school until they friend me on Facebook 20 years from now and we like pictures of each others’ children. Although it is bittersweet, I am okay with this. We are moving on to exciting new stages of our lives and that is what is important.
Do not do heroin or drugs in general. This is apparently a difficult concept for many teenagers but please do not do drugs. About Health says heroin can cause liver disease, kidney disease, pulmonary disease and infection of heart lining and valves. All of that is very scary, so why risk it? Live a long, happy life, contribute to society, save the whales, anything! Just do not do drugs.
Know how to take a joke. High school boys in particular think the strangest things are humorous. When they say things that are stupid, take it with a grain of salt. Just like in elementary school, they usually have a crush on you or are actually just kidding about it.
Do not overwhelm yourself with AP classes. Mr. Switzer will testify to this, you do not need to take 15 AP classes to be successful. You do not need 10 or 5 or even 1 either. Just take classes that will help your GPA while presenting an academic challenge and if AP classes are what you need, go for it.
You are under age; do not drink. It is not worth it. According to the CDC, underage alcohol abuse is responsible for 4,300 deaths per year. Consequences of underage drinking can include but are not limited to legal problems, increased risk of sexual assault, possibility of alcohol poisoning and higher risk of suicide. It is not worth it.
Do not put anything on the internet you do not want you grandmother/ Mr. Switzer to see. Enough said.
We wish you best of luck on your high school career and future endeavors, Seniors
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