Scots Senior Pens Letter to Freshman Self, Others

As I reach my last semester at Highland Park High School, I have started thinking about what advice I would give my freshman self. 

As an only child, I also wished I had an older sibling to show me the ropes. Instead, I got to figure it out on my own. 

Although I have grown because of this, I know freshman me would have wanted to take the easy route. 

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, these pieces of advice may apply to you. 

First, make sure to try your best academically in every single grade. You may not be thinking about college now, but your future self will thank you for all the studying you did for your biology tests. 

I hate to break it to you, but your GPA takes all your grades from each year and mushes them into one. 

Also, don’t be afraid to go to tutoring. It may seem scary if you don’t have any friends in your sessions, but in the end, that will help you focus even more. Plus, no one else at tutoring is wondering what you are up to, so do what’s best for you.

That leads me to my next point: Make sure to be yourself. What I mean is, don’t try to be someone you aren’t because you want to be more popular or fit into a particular group. By sophomore year, you won’t care anymore, so you might as well start while you are ahead. 

Also, don’t sweat the little things because it most likely won’t matter in a month, and in a year, it definitely won’t. No one else is worrying about you except for you.

Sometimes friends drift apart, and it doesn’t mean anything bad happened between you.

Especially in these four years, people change like crazy. Whether it’s for the better or not is for you to decide, but with all these evolving personalities, it is normal for friendships and friend groups to change. 

Also, if you’re not in a “friend group,” it’s OK. I never found myself in one, and I still have amazing friendships with many different people.

Lastly, try to enjoy the time you have left until college.

It won’t hit you until senior year, but college is way closer than you think.

Go to all the dances whether you have a date or not.

Go to not just the football games but all sporting events.

And try to laugh as much as you can during the school day. 

Make sure to make the most of every moment, even if it’s a brutal test or a bad hair day.

This column – full of cliches – may help you through these formative years, or it might not. 

I hope you enjoy high school as much as I did and that the memories created will be pleasant to revisit. 

So here is your reminder to do your English vocab, and go Scots!

Highland Park High School senior Amelia Taylor interned with People Newspapers during the fall semester.