By Sarah Brunskill
“Your four years of high school will fly, so cherish every moment…I know it sounds cheesy, but it really does fly,” senior Ariella Yonaty remarked. High school prepares you for life. To make sure you take advantage of your four years of high school and get the best out of it, the East Side News asked some of Williamsville East’s seniors for some advice. Seven seniors responded to a survey to share what they learned about grades, socialization, school clubs, and what’s important. What they said can help us to make our years of high school the best we can make it.
Grades are a very important part of high school. They are one of the ways we measure our success. Kate Goldman stressed their importance in her advice to underclassmen, saying, “Don’t ignore your grades especially in your freshman and sophomore years!” She explained that her own GPA could have been higher if she had put in more effort over her first two years. Maggie Meosky recognized how great it is to take as many classes as you can, but she also said to “make sure to leave yourself a free period.”
Peyton Chen told us to not be afraid to talk to our teachers and also advised us, “Don’t spend all your time studying; go out and have fun too!”
Students like Allen Gelfond mentioned time management as an important key to success. Gelfond warned us not to procrastinate, reminding us that if we stay organized, school can be less stressful. Gelfond “learned to balance my time so I can both do well in school as well as participate in sports and enjoy time with friends.” Peyton Chen told us to not be afraid to talk to our teachers and also advised us, “Don’t spend all your time studying; go out and have fun too!”
Time management, not procrastinating, can allow you to have more interaction with your friends. Several seniors talked about their memories with friends. David Chung was more specific: “Be kind and approachable, you won’t be friends with everyone but you’ll make connections that can help you out and help others out. Plus, it’s better to actually get to know people rather than knowing them at their surface level.” He wished he had gotten to know more people outside of the East. Megan Fruth added, “Find friends who help you and want to see you grow instead of people who are fake and are just trying to bring you down.”
Time management not only gives you more time for friends, it also gives you more time for clubs. East offers over 60 clubs, like FBLA, the school newspaper, and Girl Up! Which should YOU join? Ariella Yonaty said, “Whatever you are interested in. It is a time to figure out the things you love and have an interest in, but it is important to be well rounded. Mix sports clubs with performing arts clubs and leadership clubs. There are endless opportunities at East.” Katie Golden and Peyton Chen recommended FBLA, Unity in Diversity, Earthwise, and Hebrew clubs. Maggie Meosky and Allen Gelford recommended trying multiple different clubs until you find ones that you truly enjoy.
As these seniors and all seniors prepare to graduate, it’s time for us to reflect on our futures in what we can take from their advice to benefit us as well. High school can help you learn who you are and to be yourself. What these seniors have learned can help us from making mistakes and making regrets about our high school years so that we can make them the best that we can. Making it memorable. And cherishing every moment.
