Dear Freshman by Christiana Votta

I learned to take a step back and change my view of failing and to see it as a learning experience. This can be difficult to do, but once accomplished, you will feel a pressure lifted from you. You won’t be afraid to try new things or answer questions that are possibly wrong. Accepting failures as learning experiences is the key to being successful in not only highschool but the rest of your life.

Throughout my high school career, every adult I knew told me “enjoy it while you can…it goes by fast”, and it’s true. One moment I was a nervous wreck of a freshman…then one day in late August I went to bed that freshman…then I woke up a senior (who at times is still a nervous wreck that’s trying to plan their whole future at seventeen). High school does go by extremely fast, and I full-heartedly believe that students should take advantage of the time they have in high school. 

Dear Freshman, join clubs and get involved with your school community! Not only is it great to try new things but you can meet new friends and create long lasting friendships. It makes the transition to a new environment so much easier and it has personally helped me. Not only in creating friendships but in shaping my interests. I never thought of attempting to crochet until my friend dragged me into a certain club(Stich-It Up). There I fell in love with a new craft and learned a new skill! Being involved in clubs is a fantastic way to give yourself a break or even challenge yourself academically. I can’t imagine not taking part in the clubs that I’ve had, it has truly expanded my abilities/interests. Therefore, I highly recommend Freshman or other underclass-men to become involved in this critical part of high school.

Another fact I’ve had to come to terms with throughout my high school career is that my grades do not define me. It sounds cheesy on the surface level, however when you put an immense amount of pressure on yourself to perform perfectly it can be hard to separate failure and worth. I learned to take a step back and change my view of failing and to see it as a learning experience. This can be difficult to do, but once accomplished, you will feel a pressure lifted from you. You won’t be afraid to try new things or answer questions that are possibly wrong. Accepting failures as learning experiences is the key to being successful in not only highschool but the rest of your life.

Dear freshman, everyone feels self conscious! We’re constantly afraid people are judging us and that in school all of ours flaws are on display. Everyone feels that way at some point in time, because we are human. We were created to be egocentric at the core; we stress that others will see our embarrassing moments or that you tripped in the hallway. However, the plain truth is that everyone is so absorbed in what’s happening to them they won’t stop to acknowledge your embarrassing moments. There are only so many hours in a day and we hyperfixate on all the embarrassing moments or actions. The invisible audience is in fact invisible; so be mindful next time you think you did something extremely embarrassing. To your luck no one realized it, because like you, they are worried about getting through the day.

As a senior, high school has passed by extremely quick. However, being able to take part in clubs and school activities have made my experience as a student beyond amazing. The friends I’ve made and the relationships I was able to establish with my teachers and mentors is something I could never replace. High school will not always be fun, I mean it’s not like High School Musical, it’s real life. We all will struggle in our own way, however if we overcome them by changing our mindset- we will grow exponentially. Therefore, freshmen do not take for granted the time you have, enjoy and cherish every second of it!