“Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Freshmen”

Ben Rowles as a freshman (left), and as a senior (right).

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Everyone wishes for “do overs.” Times when you just wished you knew how to handle a situation, or do something a certain way, before you made a mistake. Well, this is the class of 2013 extending a helping hand to their incoming freshmen. So go ahead ninth graders, take this advice. Grasp their outstretched and welcoming hands. Remember this your first week of school and don’t make the same mistakes the seniors made their freshmen year!

Maddy Healy: “Keep a sweatshirt in your locker because the school is freezing! And hide your gum in your book bag, unless you’re willing to give a piece to everyone!”

Sam Hilty: “Don’t try to act cool because you’re in high school. Being yourself is cool enough.”

Taylor West: “Think about where you’re going. Wandering and taking the long way with East’s staircases is a terrible idea.”

Marisa D’Andrea: “Forget cliques. You can be friends with anyone.”

Kimme Nefferdorf: “Go to the side of the hallway when you’re trying to figure out where you’re going or everyone will hit you!”

Paola Cabrebra: “Don’t take up the entire hallway with your group of friends!”

Mack Davis: “Don’t single yourself out to one single group of friends. High school is a lot more fun when you branch out. And don’t use PDA in front of someone else’s locker! It makes that person feel uncomfortable… Control yourself!”

Greg Maino: “Avoid the stairs by the gym at ALL costs, and have fun with whatever you’re doing.”

Haley Back: “Get involved in school activities like sports or clubs!”

Laura McCorry: “Don’t try to grow up too fast!”

Lindsay Hogan: “Don’t be afraid to try new things. You’ll meet so many new people because chances are most of your friends from middle school will not be your friends when you graduate.”

Lacy Rohr: “Make sure you don’t go up the ‘Down’ staircase or down the ‘Up’ staircase by the main office… You will fall!”

Ralph Rowe: “Save your study halls for junior and senior years, and never challenge yourself too much.”

Kate McLaughlin: “B’s on your report card aren’t the end of the world!”

Sangati Kadakia: “Have fun, try new things, branch out, get involved.”

Jessica Fischer: “Get to the panini line quickly in the cafeteria!”

Jacque Tawney: “Don’t sign up for hard classes and complain about them all year!”

Alexia Peta: “Make friends with upperclassmen!”

Ben Rowles: “Don’t join 50 activities to beef up your resume and not do anything for them. Pick a few that you’re really interested in and stand out.”

Well freshmen, there you have it. Making mistakes is a part of life, and especially part of growing up, but maybe using some of these quick tips will help you avoid making some of those trivial mistakes that are bound to happen along the way. Hopefully by the time this year’s freshmen are seniors, they will have made their own mistakes that they can warn freshmen about. Mistakes that will have shaped their high school career, and made them the people they will be when they graduate.