How to Adult

Advice from a senior to a freshman; a guide to high school

• Extracurriculars 
  • If I could give one piece of advice to anyone, it’s to join things. Anything. Whether it’s band, soccer, or chocolate milk club, it will be beneficial, I promise. Not only will it give you good experience and make your resume better, it’ll also help you make friends and find new passions. I randomly joined Newspaper my sophomore year and it was the best decision I’ve made in highschool.  
• Never take a second semester math 
  • There’s something about taking a math second semester that is just the most treacherous, painful thing anyone could do to themselves. Unless it’s a yearlong math class, I just do not have the brain power to start learning a new type of math halfway through the school year.    
• Don’t stress about what you want to do with your life
  • No matter what anyone says you do not need to know what you want to do with your life. Even when you apply to college you can still change your major, and you can go to college without having a plan for your future. Sure people might ask you and having sort of an idea would be good, but you can always change your mind if you want. 
• Its not lame to be friends with your teacher 
  • I know being a ‘teacher’s pet’ isn’t the coolest thing in the world, but making personal connections with your teachers will help your high school experience. It makes it easier for you to ask for extra help in the class, and it will help you in your senior year when you have to ask for teacher recommendations for college and scholarships. Having at least two teachers that you know you can depend on to talk to, go to, or get help from will be beneficial, I promise.
• Take advantage of the ECCAS classes 
  • The East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies has multiple programs and classes that fit many different interests. Whether it’s the Biomed classes, the auto shop, or the salon, there are so many options for you to choose from. These classes help you figure out different career paths that you could pursue after college, and on top of that there are many programs that help you get certified to get a job right after graduation. 
• Learn how to properly study
• once you figure out the proper way to study and what works for you, your school life will be much easier. you can stop wasting time trying other techniques that don’t work for you, and instead spend less time studying in more efficient ways that will help you do better in your classes overall.