By: Erin Watts

As a Senior, I have learned a few things and hope to share my knowledge with the underclassmen of Springfield High School. High school is A LOT. New school, new teachers, new peers, new classes. That’s a lot of changes. Adapting to new environments is difficult, but doable, I promise. Take these pieces of advice, and soar!

Meet New People

Coming from someone who is very introverted, meeting new people can be hard, and scary, but you have to try. The people I was friends with at the beginning of high school are NOT the same people I am friends with now. The people I am friends with now I have met in classes, clubs and extracurriculars, and these people chose me. And I chose them. No matter what grade you are in, whether you are a brand new freshman or a senior, don’t be afraid to reach out. I have made more friends this year alone than the other three years combined. You never know what will happen. Branch out of your comfort zone because it is worth it in the end.

Try New Things

I played volleyball for eight years and only branched out a little. This year, I decided not to play and instead tried Show Choir. I have always loved singing and dancing, but never really got into theater, so I never really performed on stage. Not to mention, I was often overshadowed. In Show Choir, I met people and became friends with them– people I never would have interacted with outside of Show Choir. After rehearsing and performing, I fell in love with it all. I was a hard worker and earned a solo as well as a dance break focus! I gained confidence and grew as a person. Aside from Show Choir, I joined clubs and met other people that way. I found things that piqued my interest and explored those sides of me. I met some of my best friends through these different and unique experiences. Hopefully, if you put yourself out there, you will be just as lucky.

Spend Time With Family

Hanging out with friends is important and so much fun, but spending time with your family is even more important. Entering high school is exciting and nerve-wracking with meeting new people and being able to drive yourself places, finding others like yourself and learning about who you are. Everything is so time consuming, but be sure to find time for your family. I have studied so much in the past year for my classes, and would forget to take time to be with my family. On the flip side, I would get so caught up with hanging out with my friends every other day, I would ignore spending time with my family. I realized what was happening and figured out how to balance everything: school, my social life and family time. After losing my grandma unexpectedly, everything got put in perspective: life is short, cherish it. I have been spending more time with my family, cherishing every moment before going to college. I encourage you to do the same, because things can change at the drop of a hat. Don’t take the things in your life for granted.

Challenge Yourself without Overworking Yourself

I have always been academically inclined, but I still know I need a creative outlet during my school day. I have taken my fair share of AP classes, paired with creative electives. So many kids focus on their GPAs without looking into other elective classes to explore pieces of themselves. They miss out on so many experiences: meeting new people, learning about themselves, finding interests they love. Instead, they compete for the highest GPA, just a number on the transcript. That being said, don’t just breeze through high school in easy classes. Still challenge yourself, keep yourself engaged in class. Learning is important. But hurting yourself for the grade is not. Do your best and enjoy your classes. 

Be Yourself 

Everyone always tells us to be ourselves, don’t change to fit in, and, well, it’s true. I tried to be like other people for years. I didn’t dress how I wanted to, fearing what other people would say. I would not branch out into what I actually like because I didn’t want to be different. After a while, I finally felt comfortable in my own skin. I started to dress how I wanted to dress. I wasn’t afraid of what others would say. And all those times I was afraid to hear negative comments stopped me from hearing all the compliments about my outfits. I love who I am. I have grown to love who I am. And it was a journey. One that was long, a bit tiresome, but has an amazing view at the end. Find yourself in everything. Clothes. Clubs. People. If you live authentically, you will live happily. 

A last note from me to all our lovely Newspaper staffers, past and present: keep writing. Your stories are important to share. Share pieces of yourself in your writing. Let other people read about your interests and take risks with your writing. And Ms. Negele, you have been one of the most inspirational people I have met in my high school career. I have grown as a person in your classes, and will continue to grow thanks to you. Thank you for everything you have done for me, and I will miss you and the Newspaper class dearly.  And lastly, my dear readers, Newspaper exists because of you. I thank you for spending time with all of us, reading our stories. And now, I say farewell and I wish you all good luck!