As August hits and summer comes to an end, the students of Oak Park High School all have to go back to school. For many new freshmen, this can be a nerve-wracking experience. The thought of not knowing where your classes are, how difficult the workload will be or even who you are going to sit with at lunch brings students lots of anxiety. Here is some advice from OPHS students that they wished they knew before starting high school.
To begin, sophomore Julia Katz emphasized the importance of staying on top of your assignments even if you think it does not matter.
“You need to remember that every grade you get gets added to your overall cumulative GPA through all of high school so even if you think it doesn’t matter, it does,” Katz said.
Senior Jayden Bellemeur focused on the importance of extracurriculars.
“I am involved in flag football and soccer and it has really been the reason I can connect with so many new people. I remember my freshman year I was so nervous and going and participating in those various activities really helped me branch out and feel comfortable in school,” Bellemeur said.
In Oak Park, there are many extracurricular options to choose from. There is something for everyone, and even if you don’t enjoy the clubs or sports offered, you can create your own club with the right preparation. Last year, Oak Park alumna Avery Mansman created the club Breaking the Stigma, and talked about the process of doing so.
“It was definitely a lot of work but it was so fun watching it all pay off through all of our mental health awareness events. It was also amazing to watch everyone come together to talk about mental health and come up with ideas to bring events to the school,” Mansman said.
Between extracurriculars and homework, school can become busy and overwhelming. Even though it’s easier said than done, maintaining good mental health and a positive mindset is crucial. Completing work in school and staying on top of assignments helps you to be in a good place mentally
Junior Bella Harder explained how to thrive with confidence when going into a new school.
“You have to always be yourself and try not to care about what other people think and not take things too personal because you never know if someone is having a bad day,” Harder said.
Harder added that this advice is relevant for any grade and even outside of school. It is important to remember that by staying true to yourself, you will meet more authentic and genuine people that have similar interests to you.
Although these students’ advice is helpful, it is good to remember that no one is perfect, and even if you make mistakes, you can always get back up and try again.
“In my freshman year alone I messed up and made many mistakes that I thought would affect me so much and then I remembered that it really isn’t that deep. I mean obviously, you want to try hard to do well but know that if you make a few mistakes, because you will, it’s not the end of the world,” Katz said.
With a freshman class of over 500 students, many people are likely experiencing similar feelings and emotions about starting high school.
As Bellemeur said, “Just remember to always enjoy high school because it goes by fast.”
