I’m sure many of you are feeling a whirlwind of emotions — nervousness, excitement and everything in between. Picture high school as a captivating novel with ninth grade as your first chapter. Like every great story, high school will introduce you to diverse characters, unexpected plots and opportunities for change and growth. As many of you start your own story, it may seem daunting because of the uncertainty of change. But, as someone who has already written two chapters of their high school journey, here is some insight that might help you navigate the ups and downs of freshman year.

Firstly, freshman year is a time for discovery. In a new environment with fresh faces, it can feel overwhelming to tackle it at once. Take it step by step: Participate in your classes by asking questions and go to office hours to build relationships with your teachers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Outside of the classroom, try not to close yourself off by limiting your social circle to the same people you’ve known from middle school. A simple way to become more involved is to join clubs or participate in a sport. It’s important to build strong bonds within the Gunn community that can support you through your high school journey.

Although it may be nerve wracking to hear, the beginning of high school is key to building a strong academic foundation. Creating strong study or organizational skills is crucial. Whether that is creating a to-do list or using a planner, having all your activities in front of you is an effective way to manage your time and reduces stress, which may occur if you don’t stay organized.

With school activities piling up, don’t forget to maintain a healthy balance. Explore your interests outside of school by immersing yourself into something new or pursuing your passions. Having a balanced life can contribute to a healthy mentality, especially in a new environment. Focus on who you are as a person and identify your goals that you want
to accomplish.

High school is a new place that may seem scary at first, but I have no doubt that that false image will slowly change as you adapt. With an exciting time ahead of you, I am confident that you will blossom here, and I cannot wait to see it!

Sincerely, Yael Gottesman

Although the start of sophomore year is much calmer than the bustling new environment and nervousness that comes with freshman year, it still remains full of surprises and excitement.

One of the most important aspects of sophomore year is to not be afraid of pursuing challenges and new experiences. Now that you are familiar with the environment you are spending your time in, it is much easier to focus on your interests. This can look like joining a club related to your favorite hobby or taking a harder class in a subject you’re interested in. This sentiment not only applies to your academics, but your social life as well — try to continue to meet new people outside of the ones you know well from freshman year. By taking advantage of the things you’ve learned from freshman year, you can start to understand what you want and don’t want to spend your free time on.

However, this can be difficult with the heavier course load that most people take on during their sophomore year. Although it is important to stay on top of your work, it is also crucial to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Even when you have a big exam coming up, it is okay to relax a little on the weekends to hang out with friends. Set up a good system for yourself to de-stress and stick to it.

Staying organized is also crucial to a smoother transition into the school year. More work often means a schedule that is much harder to keep up with, and anything from a simple to-do list to a monthly planner can help ensure that you stay on top of things. However, don’t overwork yourself. Again, balance is key.

Achieving all of this is easiest when you have a good support system around you. Building new relationships and nurturing old ones can help support and guide you through the highs and lows of sophomore year. I find that having understanding people around you can help motivate you through any rough patches, whether it be academically or socially.

Most importantly, take care of yourself as you work through an inevitably harder year of high school. It does not matter as much your results as the process it took you to get there. Enjoy your sophomore year — it only happens once!

Sincerely, Anne Dong

Congratulations on completing half of your high school journey. By now, you probably already have preconceived notions about how junior year is going to be “the worst year of your K-12 career.” Junior year is undeniably hard, but it’s also worth mentioning that junior year can also be full of fantastically fun times. As official upperclassmen, you have access to a whole array of advantages. After all, you already know the ropes of key high school events: Homecoming Week, school dances, SEC events… the list goes on. You also serve as an example for underclassmen, so make sure you put in your 110% and show school spirit.

The biggest tip for surviving junior year is to talk with your peers, hear their stories, and build personal connections. Oftentimes, the people in your classes will understand the stress because everyone is in the same boat. Take advantage of your shared  hardships to build closer connections — it may just help you feel less overwhelmed and less alone.

In addition to building connections, it is important to keep track of your tasks and develop a system of effective time management. You will undoubtedly receive mountains of work and have quizzes at least every other week. To ensure that you adequately prepare for them, it might be worth considering investing in a good system to track your tasks. Whether it is Google Calendar, a planner or a
spreadsheet, visualizing your list of tasks will show you exactly how much work that needs to completed.

Junior year can feel scary but remember that it is still a time for exploration and learning. You don’t need to have your entire life figured out in junior year, but setting yourself up to succeed will make navigating your third year of high school much easier. Don’t be afraid to take risks and push yourself to strive for the best version of yourself.

There are so many ways to also make junior year manageable and meaningful. So please remember to make time for yourself, build connections with those around you and smile — you’re doing great!

Sincerely, Charlotte Qian

Congratulations on making it to senior year! This final year is full of many firsts: becoming a legal adult, getting to participate in the senior festivities you’ve watched since freshman year, applying to college and so on. Closing one chapter and opening another is always exciting — I’m confident that your class will take full advantage of all the senior year experiences.

First things first: Take care of yourself, since parts of the upcoming year can be exhausting. Although self-care can look like stepping away from a few commitments, it can also mean honing in on an activity or subject. Focus on the areas of your life in which you find the most personal fulfillment. It’s your last chance to make a mark on Gunn as a student, so make the most of it.

Regarding college applications, I used my prep as a set time to work on my essays, which forced me to make consistent progress. I’d also recommend wrapping your applications up before Homecoming
Week, since schoolwork starts picking up around then.

Even if you do everything “right,” some anxiety and stress is inevitable — after all, applications require immense effort. Although I found the entire college process to be emotionally and physically taxing at times, it also helped me understand the factors that shape my self-worth, examine the strategies I use to deal with stress and realize other insights about myself that I hadn’t yet in high school.

All that said, no one goes into senior year with a foolproof gameplan, so don’t beat yourself up if something goes wrong. After all, you’re only a high-school senior once, and like the cast of “High School Musical” put it, you’re all in this together. Do your best to find humanity amid chaos and immerse yourself in the moment. It’s natural to feel frustrated, jealous and a whole host of other ugly emotions. While easier said than done, celebrate each other’s successes and support each other through tough setbacks. Laugh with each other about the supplemental college essays in which you forgot to switch out the name of one school for another or schools you accidentally applied to as a physiology major instead of a physics one. Prioritize these final moments of connection with your peers and teachers, and always make room for spontaneity. You got this.

Sincerely, Chris Lee