High school is a very memorable experience of life, but all good things must come to an end. Seniors often wish they would have received specific advice as a freshman. What follows is a collection of wisdom current seniors gained and now pass on to underclassmen.
Amber Burnett … “It really feels like you’re just walking through the front doors for the first time trying to find your class, and then suddenly, you’re picking out your cap and gown. Everyone says “don’t blink” for a reason the days are long, but the years are incredibly short. Don’t wait until senior year to turn everything around.”
Anjulie Bell … “Honestly just be nice. You never know what someone is going through and no one knows what you are going through. High school is hard enough. It will be one of the toughest times of your life so just try and be nice. Also work hard but not at the expense of your health. Listen to your mind and body and it will tell you when you need a break.”
Aubrey Williams … “Keep going, it can be overwhelming but you will never forget to persevere.”
Ava Massie … “When looking back over every moment of my high school career, my only advice to underclassmen would be to find your thing, no matter what it is. Rather, it’s a band, a Spanish club, or football, find something that gives you a reason to show up every day and give it your absolute all. At the end of the day, it isn’t the group projects or school lunch that makes me smile, it’s the memories I made with amazing people who all shared similar interests as I. Find your people and make the most of it because it flies by in the blink of an eye.”
Abby Coots … “Some advice I have for underclassmen is: to enjoy the moment, get involved with school activities, and to prioritize yourself.”
Austin Missman … “Don’t compare yourself with anyone.”
Alex Bonilla … “Eat Chicken.”
Abigail White … “Enjoy it because before you know it you will be graduating.”
Benjamin Melton … “Find something in your life to center yourself. Whether it will be religion, philosophy, your friends and family, or even hobbies. Find something that you can go to at the end of the day to help process and decompress.”
Brody Volpert … “Apply to as many scholarships and colleges as you can. Sell yourself so that colleges will be competitive over you.”
Brooklyn King … “You’re not stupid, you’re just expected to do math equations at 8:00 in the morning. Teenagers are lonely, hungry people; provide snacks and compliments for goodwill. You’re above AI; Musk profits off your laziness. Don’t be afraid of the lunchline; people are scary but starving is worse. Join clubs and help organize. Dress for the weather, not for appearance. Swallow the pill and lead the group project; speak for the kids who are too anxious—you’ll earn friends. Don’t be a mother/therapist friend, you need some love too.”
Briylie Helms … “Some students may think that school is like a prison. They have us do things we don’t want to do, some more than others, but we get through it together whether we want to or not, including life. Everyone knows that life is an emotional roller coaster that drives us all crazy, but there’s this adrenaline rush that keeps us motivated and get past every obstacle and struggle that comes our way. If there is one thing in life we all should risk, it’s letting God take control of our lives. Everything we see on earth is full of life, or has something that supports it and helps it grow. For instance, the soil in the ground provides nutrients for the plants and trees surrounding us. Our parents provide food, shelter, clothes on our backs, and if we are really lucky they support us no matter what and give us the love we need to strive and work hard. The people you are surrounded by will always be there for you when you need them the most, even if they are thousands of miles away or they might be your next door neighbor. All you need to do is ask yourself, where do I see myself in the next ten years. If you see yourself working at your dream job accomplishing everything you have been trying to achieve since the day you decided that this is what you wanted to do then you always need to remember that there is more to you than you think. “
Baliegh Bouwknegt … “If I could advise underclassmen, I would say don’t rush your life away. You’re only young once, and high school goes by way faster than you think. Take your time, live in the moment, and actually enjoy it. Go have fun, make memories, and spend time with the people who matter, but always be safe and make smart choices. Life isn’t always going to be easy, and you’re going to face obstacles, but that’s just part of growing up. Don’t let tough moments define you, because you’re stronger than you think and you can get through anything. Everything won’t stay hard forever, and things really do get better. So just take it one day at a time, be yourself, and don’t be afraid to grow.”
Brooke Boyer … “As I’ve gone through high school, every senior I had the privilege of becoming friends with told me just how fast your senior year goes by. I didn’t believe them until now. At the time of writing, I have forty three days until I graduate. Do not take the time you have here for granted, because I realize just how soon I’ll be splitting from these friends and these people I’ve spent the past thirteen years of my life with. Especially if you are planning on going to college out of state like I am, cherish the memories and the people you make them with.”
Becca Elderly … “You will never see these people again. It literally does not matter what they think of you.”
Brinauna Whiteaker … “Take it one day at a time, know that your grades don’t define who you are, make it a priority to care for yourself and your mental state, and communicate with your peers and teachers in 90% of your success.”
Bailey White … “Build a supportive group of friends who lift you up, rather than those who cause stress.”
Becca Watson … “Keep up with your work, and stay out of trouble to be able to graduate.”
Bailey White … “Build a supportive group of friends who lift you up, rather than those who cause stress.
Cooper Powell … “Know when to work hard, and know when to have fun.”
Cayden Schales … “Have confidence and know who you are. People will always try to talk you down, but only you can make decisions for yourself.”
Cloey Coronado … “Live your youth and have fun, focus on your grades and classes, take advantage of every opportunity, find your passion and put all your energy into it.”
Christian Irvin … “Make sure you are having fun and making the memories. Grades are easy to get done with the stuff in class but you can joke around and have fun.”
Cheyenne Messersmith … “During my time here at Cabot high school I had learned a lot of things, one of which being the reality of friendships. Drama was my biggest issue, and because of many different fights and dumb decisions I lost friends, but I also gained some too. You can’t let the people around you tell you who to be, and you can’t let them bring you down either. I’ve learned that in about ten years none of this will matter, the drama, the exes, and who hated who, however, I will remember who stayed. Not every friendship you have here is gonna be forever, rather it’s the person you’ve known for 14 years or the person you met last month. your forever friends are the ones who take your side on everything, those are the ones who will stay. I also learned not to rush, make as many memories as you can, because in the end you only have three years until you have to face the real world. Don’t hesitate to try new things, make new friends, and please respect your teachers. I know some of them are kind of hard to handle, but remember they don’t get paid enough to deal with trouble. Lastly, I want you to know that not everyone finds their soulmate in high school, so live a little, don’t let a crush get in the way of classes or friendships, it’s not worth losing the people you love over a person who will more than likely not be there for you in the end. Smile more, Live a little, and Be kind to everyone you meet, you never know who will make an impact on your life.”
Cadence Masters … “As we move forward, remember to make the most of each day, follow what makes you happy, and never let others’ opinions sway your decisions.”
Christian Villitoro Herrera … “Stop regretting the past. You can’t change what’s already happened, but you can use the lesson to move forward. Stop worrying about the future and free yourself from worrying about the unknown future, just trust your own ability to handle whatever comes your way. Stop looking for your happiness in other people. True happiness comes from within, and when you find it, absolutely everything else comes into place. Stop underestimating your inner strength, you’re a lot stronger than you think. Believe in your abilities, embrace your resilience. Every setback is an opportunity to learn and to grow. You’re a very special person, you’re one of the 0.01% who finished something they started.”
Cooper Harvey … “My advice to underclassmen is to learn discipline and treat others right. Doing this will help yourself and others, and you will be a far more successful person going forward as you mature into an adult.”
Daniel Rogers … “Some days you’re going to want to quit or just refuse to get out of bed. Just keep pushing, and before you know it, you will be out of here.”
Dominic Vick … “Don´t ignore your GPA, it can make or break your chance for a scholarship.”
Elijah McCalley … “Always have a good hobby to fall back on. Especially having one that keeps your brain thinking and engaged.”
Emily Pineda … “Never let someone tell you what you can’t do.You will never know what you can do if you don’t try your hardest to achieve what you want.”
Elizabeth Payne … “Only focus on yourself, everything else is just noise and distractions.”
Gabriel Mahony … ‘Play dumb games and win dumb prizes.”
Gage Richey … “Do your work first, then do whatever you want after it’s done. The worst thing to do is to get bombarded with missing assignments, then stress about turning them in.”
John Kelly … “Just chill, if you’re going to college, try and get As and and if your going to trade school, just don’t fail and try to maintain a C, and don’t do nothing stupid or think dropping out is a good idea cause your like 80% of the way there, just push and finish it.”
Jarlan Arbukle … “Lock in. Nobody is going to do your work for you. Learn to be independent.”
Jacob Cheves … ”Things will get difficult, it is inevitable, and that is okay.”
Joey Bartlett … “When in doubt ChatGPT it out.”
Jacob Smith … “Don’t settle, strive for greatness. “
James Henderson … “My advice, get along with your teachers.”
Jacob Johnson … “Take as many concurrent classes as you can.”
Jacey Elkins … “Make your grades count while you can. Like I once did, you may not think you’re going anywhere in life. Just know, you may change your mind when it’s too late. You accomplish what you believe you can, and you don’t accomplish what you don’t. What will you do? The choice is yours.¨
Jake Steelman … “Get here early so you can actually get a parking spot so Sophomores don’t take your spot.”
Joy Black … “Give your daily best and you’ll see a difference.”
Jacob Murray … “When you’re a senior you will start to want to skip more but make sure you remember graduating is your biggest priority so go to school.”
James Baker … “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Kaylee Lemmons … “Do not take too many classes and overwhelm yourself, and do not take college classes if you don’t plan on going to college.”
Katie Shirron … “My advice to underclassmen is to believe in yourself if you are in theater and in band to perform very well in both of the extracurricular activities.”
Kyle Wallace … “Do your work.”
Kaylee Padilla … “Things may seem difficult at the moment, but they get better. Just have to keep pushing yourself and talk to people. Having someone to listen to you and give you comfort helps things get better. Always push yourself to be better.”
KiNani Cantrell … “Make sure you work on yourself instead of listening to critics.”
Kimberlyn Cross … “You only live once.”
Kymberlin Charles … “Push through the hard times. It won’t always hurt. One day you’ll see how much it made you stronger.”
Kayla McCormick … “Never give up, keep chasing your dreams.”
Katie McHughes … “People have the ability to say whatever they want, and you have the ability to do something or ignore it. Ignore it, it’s not worth the office trip.”
Kylie Davis … “To not think about what others think about you and don’t procrastinate and get your work done.”
Kylee Charbarneau … “Walk with a little pep in your step. And never turn a corner too close to the wall, there will always be someone who is doing the same behind it.”
Leighton Gauden … “Don’t take these years for granted because they go by faster than you think. Take pictures, go to the games, and make memories with the people around you. Don’t be so hard on yourself—everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Just try your best, be kind, and appreciate the little moments, because one day they’ll be the ones you miss the most. Yes, your high school times can be hard, but some people will always support you and be there for you. Don’t let the hard days be your whole year. Make the best out of it. Surround yourself with people who will love you and lift you.”
Landon Christensen … “Make sure to always get to your first period on time.. because these tardies are catching up to me. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to take a mental health day and take care of yourself.”
Logan Underwood … “Spend as much time as you can with your friends because everyone will get busy and fade away as a big friend group before you know it.”
Lyle Danner … “Figure out what you want to do after graduation and take any classes that relate to that job or career.”
Lauren Rochelle … “Please lock in no matter how bad you just want to worry about it tomorrow. I promise your hard work will pay off. Apply for the scholarships, take the ACT no matter how hard it may be, take it.”
Marianne Berry … “I prioritized my work ethic whether in school or out of school. I focused on getting work done and all the tasks completed.”
Madilynn Cakin … “My advice is to know that not everyone will like you, and that’s okay. Not everyone likes their cup of tea the same, and some people prefer coffee even. So if someone decides to not like you, ignore them. I know it can be hard, but this is only a short chapter of your life. Spend it with people who care about you in a genuine way, don’t hang around people who tear themselves and others down; they’ll just bring you down with them. Stay strong and you’ve got this.”
Madison Mongelli … “I have a lot of advice. One, please don’t wait till senior year to care; it’s very important to build good habits early. Two, your friend group might change. There might be drama, or you guys just fade apart and that’s normal. Just always keep a smile on your face and be kind to everyone you see. Three, doing your school work on time really saves so much stress. Four, choose friends who don’t drain you or bring you down, as well as please don’t feel pressured to fit in.”
Madden Smith … “80% of success is showing up.”
Mileena Poe … “Don’t take time for granted, because high school passes a lot faster than you think. One day you’re just starting out and the next you’re wishing you had more time, so don’t wait for the perfect moment, just go for things while you can. Do what genuinely makes you happy and don’t hold yourself back out of fear or overthinking, because those are the things you’ll regret later, join the club, go to the game, talk to new people, take chances even if they make you uncomfortable. Put effort into your work and into your relationships, make new friends and don’t be afraid to be yourself, because life is too short to worry about what other people think, most people are too busy worrying about themselves anyway. I wish I hadn’t let being shy and timid stop me from doing things. Staying in your comfort zone might feel safe but it holds you back, so step out of it, speak up, show up, and try even if you’re unsure. Don’t get caught up in trying to fit in or be popular, it feels important now but it really isn’t, high school ends and all of that fades, what actually matters is who you are, how you treat people, and the choices you make. Your future matters, so take classes that challenge you and help you move toward your goals instead of just choosing what’s easy, because you’re building habits that will follow you. Most importantly, be kind to everyone, you never know what someone else is going through, and it costs nothing to be a good person, keep negativity to yourself and don’t mistake being rude for being funny, because how you treat people sticks with them, and with you, so live your life fully, take chances, be kind, work hard, and don’t let fear make your decisions for you.”
Madyson Doane … “Be consistent whether it’s school, athletics, or work. Consistency beats talent over time.”
Natilie Eoff … “Show up to class, I wish I listened when people told me that my Sophomore year and now I wish I had listened.”
Princess Abegail Madelo … “Stay out of the drama and make your high school experience memorable.”
Ryan Matchett … “When in doubt, cheat your way out.”
Reed Christensen … “Study for the ACT, take as many college classes as you can, take hard classes and if they are challenging just drop them. Try as many sports and extracurriculars as you can.”
Ryan Cooper … “Start selecting your colleges and figuring out scholarships as early as you can. It is much more competitive than it may seem. The earlier you start, the greater your opportunity to increase scholarship money becomes. Get to know the people you may be auditioning for, or professors you will have to interact with. It makes decision-making much easier for you and the professor.”
Rickey Zumwalt … “Dont vape.”
Reese Overton … “Be true to yourself, because at the end of the day that’s what truly matters.”
Riley Gambrel … “Don’t procrastinate and just enjoy it while you can.”
Shanya Glover … “Take the risks, talk to people, go do things, you’ll remember what you did way more than what you were afraid to do.”
Shelby Schnider … “Freshman and sophomore years feel low-stakes, but they set your habits. It’s way easier to maintain good grades than to dig yourself out of a whole junior year.”
Sydney Cron … “Always strive to do your best and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, both academically and personally. Don’t feed onto the negativity of others, instead find new ways to help others and make a difference in someone’s life. Don’t let what others say about you affect or change you because at the end of the day there you will never have to see a majority of the people you are going to school with again after graduation, so just continue to be kind to everyone and be yourself. Stay on top of assignments and don’t procrastinate. Try to set goals throughout the year, short term and long term goals, it really helps with motivation looking to find new things to accomplish. The work can seem stressful and hard at times but don’t be afraid to reach out to a teacher who you can go to and ask questions, or even friends who may know the answer, or have even taken the class already. Lean on each other, don’t feel like you have to go through this alone, build connections and get involved in clubs and extracurricular activities, that is where a lot of the friendships build. Be kind and understanding towards the teachers and staff and don’t be disrespectful, keep in mind that we’re all human and have personal things that we all go through so if a teacher is taking a long time to grade something just respectfully remind them about it and ask if there is anything else you can do, and then just be patient for them to get it in for you. It is going to be an amazing year, and you will have ups and downs all throughout. But just remember to try and make the best of every minute you have, because before you know it it will be over and you start getting senioritis like myself and start thinking about all the memories, connections that you’ve made and even opportunities that you missed. There is a lot that I wish I could go back in time and do differently but one thing I don’t regret is always being kind and trying to make the moment right, even to those who did me wrong. You can make a huge difference in someone’s life without even realizing it just by making them feel included and inviting them into your circle. Cliques aren’t cool. Don’t think you’re better than anyone because you’re not. Stay humble and always strive to meet new people. We may not all like the same things but that’s how it’s supposed to be. That doesn’t make us less than anyone. Although there’s a lot of schoolwork involved, don’t forget to have some fun. Invite others to hang out, go to sports events, get ready for dances together, just have fun. Because this is a once and a lifetime opportunity to get to experience it all. Take it all in, because once it’s over you’re going to miss it so much and wish you could go back. Not go back to the school work and assignments obviously, but to the classrooms where you met some of your best friends, or have your favorite teachers who helped you through the tough times and made school fun, and all the memories that go into it. It’s going to be such a great next couple of years. And listen, shoot your shot with that person you like or want to talk to or be friends with. Shoot even if they seem out of your league, the worst they will say if no, and very highly will forget if it doesn’t go well. Just live your life to the fullest and don’t leave with any regrets.”
Sidney Cron … “Don’t let the overwhelm of the upcoming graduation paralyze you into inaction.”
Steven Wilson … “Absolutely stay on top of your work and keep up with your attendance, you’re too close to finishing high school to give up.”
Shauna Ray … “Don´t waste time being ¨ïn love¨, love is for old people, when you’re young be successful.”
Sara Tremaine … “To go to class and do your work but also talk to your teacher if you have trouble with anything they are there to help.”
Madyson Doane … “Be consistent whether it’s school, athletics, or work. Consistency beats talent over time.”
Maria Teo … “Be close teachers because that is how you will pass your classes. Make friends that are with you through the good and bad times. If you have extra time make sure to study. “
Xavier Stalinas … “Never be a clone of who you want to be.”
Zachary Sohdheim … “Remember no matter what, to give 110% at anything you do, if you can give school that much effort like i did then youll make it good in life with that idea and ethic, and don’t give up halfway on anything you do either, the idea of quitting will eventually come back to bite you.”
