Upperclassmen & Teachers Share the Key to Success

LSE, AURORA – The future may seem uncertain as most students enter high school without key insight. For underclassmen who need advice or tips on what to do in and out of school, continue reading this article to find the answers you may be looking for. I had the chance to interview juniors and seniors who gave some excellent advice to their fellow underclassmen as the first semester comes to a close. 

Here are some of the tips they had to share:

“Make sure you know what goals you want to reach and how you can succeed to achieve them. Know who surrounds you and what goals they are destined to. Communication in this world will be able to get you to high places and help you learn more from the world. Try different things out! The more you put yourself out there in the world, the more skills you are able to acquire. Learning these skills will help you in the future whether it is your intention or not.” 

– Daggim Desta, Senior

“I would like to tell underclassmen to live in the moment and do great because the mistakes that you make in the past cannot be fixed in the future. Be cautious about your grades and behavior so that you aren’t disappointed later on.” 

– Sundus Osman, Junior

“Have a routine, set goals, and a time frame for those goals. It’s okay to ask for more time with homework and assignments when you need it.”

– Anela Valladares, Senior

“Find friends that treat you with the same respect that you give them. Work hard in class to have a fun time in school! Reflect on the past to better the person you are and make amends with the past. Emotions are hard to understand, but it is okay to have them. You are a great individual. To conclude, I will always hope for the best for you! :)”

– Darian Lopez, Senior

I also had the chance to interview Coach Chris who also shared some great advice, this is what he had to say:

What advice do you have for underclassmen (grades 6-10)?

Coach Chris:  “Take your education seriously. It is difficult to raise your GPA (grade point average) in your junior and senior years after you don’t take your freshman and sophomore years seriously. Your GPA affects scholarship and scholarship program opportunities!  Think about what you want to be when you grow up. What is your dream job? Do research on that profession, how much a particular school is, and anything else that is required.”

Ms. Bauer: “Underclassmen should be respectful of their older classmates and teachers, enjoy learning as much as possible, and should try not to grow up too fast.”

What can students start to become well-rounded students?

Coach Chris: “Work on your time management skills now! Time management will be a very valuable skill as you get older that will come in handy even outside of school. This includes setting your priorities and sticking to them.” 

Ms. Bauer: “A well-rounded student is someone that takes school seriously, completes homework as soon as it is assigned, studies for tests, and gets involved in something non-academic.”

What have past graduating classes attributed their success to?

Coach Chris: “Working hard, having your priorities in line, and persistence from teachers.”

Ms. Bauer: “The past graduating classes have attributed their successes to participating in team athletics/organizations, taking time to study, and not being afraid to ask their teachers for help. They’ve also shared that they felt they were mature and responsible as upperclassmen, but that point could be argued, depending upon the student.”

Coach Chris concludes by saying, “Believe in yourself and your abilities! Believe in yourself so much that when you fail, you’ll get right back up, learn from your mistake, and do better next time.” Ms. Bauer on the same note wrapped things up explaining, “I do think that the universal advice for all students is to simply be yourself, always do your best, and extend friendship to those that seem not to have any.”

Do you have any suggestions of your own? Leave your responses in the comments!