As the Class of 2023 finishes their senior year, they’ve left some advice behind for the underclassmen and rising seniors. Take it or leave it – here’s the Class of 2023’s farewell address, sorted into categories: 

Academic 

• Do your homework. It will impact your grade for the better.
• Go to extra help and put effort in, especially if you’re starting to struggle with a concept or new topic in the class. The more proactive you are, the better your chances are. Teachers also appreciate and respect students who put effort in, and that can only help you. 
• One bad grade isn’t the end of the world. However, it’s a good signal that you approached something the wrong way – don’t ignore that. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you failed a physics test the first time, try a different study approach the second time. 
• Be proactive, be organized, and try to not procrastinate.

For the seniors: 

• Senioritis isn’t a voluntary thing. You’ll have it, at some point or another. Brace for it. With many different things going on senior year, it can be hard to stay strong with academics. But do your best, at least in the entire first semester. Start strong and it will make finishing the year easier. 
• Senior year is still a year of school. You might feel mentally checked out or expect classes to be easy, but it’s still a year of school. Your grades still matter. Try your best. 
• Some classes are harder than others. Some classes are more serious than others. Learn to prioritize and accommodate accordingly. 

Social 

• Enjoy spending time with your parents while you can.

• DO NOT take good people and good moments for granted. Spend time with people who love you for you. Don’t try putting up a façade to fit in with the “cool kids.” It’s cliché and it’s easier said than done, but I promise you it’s true. Also, enjoy every moment. High school is short, the time you have to do things you enjoy and be yourself. Life can sometimes seem overwhelming and stressful, but don’t take it too seriously. I began to enjoy high school once I realized how to appreciate every good moment and all the good people in my life who I cared about and who cared about me.
• Whatever you think high school is going to look like is probably not going to be the reality. Media often glamorizes it in completely unrealistic ways. Give high school your own meaning and don’t worry about what society says it’s supposed to look like.
• Become besties with your teachers, it makes the class experience better. Same with your advisors.
• Join clubs or publications – easy way to make friends with aligned interests and get involved in the school community!
• Join choir or band – get to go on cool trips like Carnegie Hall for Choir – Disney/Universal – or both – great way to support the arts!!! :))
• Take advantage of your last moments with friends, teachers, and peers to feel satisfied with the connections you made before taking the next steps to college.
• Once you reach senior year, everyone is very aware that we’re all leaving in a year. There are a lot of ‘last’s. But don’t let that prevent you from making connections. Don’t back away. Befriend people. Stay connected. Have a good time.
• Look out for your underclassmen. Give them your advice and your insight, and be there for them. Underclassmen love to have senior friends. 
• Leadership on a high school level largely stems from a place of respect. If you have to tell people you’re in charge, you’re not really in charge. A leader doesn’t have to be close friends and loved by the whole team, but barking orders without a sense of teamwork and respect won’t exactly work out either. 
• Go to prom. Don’t feel obligated to bring a date. We brought back prom this year, and many of us had just as much (if not more) fun with just our friend groups.
• Plan your senior skip day and senior prank in advance (and get it approved) *cough cough* (Technically you aren’t allowed to do either of those so … you didn’t hear this from us)
• Go to class events. Be with your class. These are the moments you’ll look back on later.

College Prep

• Find something you like doing and get good at it. Then do that thing in a way you can get credit and rewards for it. Don’t be afraid to do what you want.
• Do college research based on what you want to major in. A general field. Activities/sports. Find colleges with good reputations for your interests and narrow down from there. 
• To stay organized: Have a professional email address solely for colleges. They will send you a LOT of emails. Some are more important than others. Filter your inbox folders. Check Junkmail/Spam. Use the same password as much as possible. Save your IDs and Passwords and portals somewhere. There will be a lot of them. Potentially share them with your parents so they have access too. 
• Some colleges are looking for “demonstrated interest,” so opening the emails these colleges send you and clicking links to show that you’ve looked into the information they’re sending will be very helpful. Clicking links, following their social media, touring the colleges, and attending information sessions are all potential ways to show demonstrated interest. 
• Know how to describe your hobbies/responsibilities well. Make it clear how much you do. For college applications you will have to describe your roles and responsibilities in these hobbies in a resume style, so think of succinct and clear ways to explain yourself professionally. You can start writing this before senior year. You will have to list your role, the time commitment, how long you have engaged in the activity, and put a brief description of the responsibilities (250 characters or less). 
• Reach out to coaches in colleges you like if you want to do a sport (even if you don’t want to play DI!). Sometimes they have insight and help get you in, even at only DIII level. 
• Meet with college counselors, send them your essay drafts, keep them in the loop. They are there to help you and they’re very good at their jobs!

For the Juniors: 

• Use your frees to meet with college counselors and GET YOUR ESSAYS DONE!
• Visit colleges during Mardi Gras break, and find out what your preferences are during junior year.
• Write as many essays as you can over summer break before school starts. Perfect your personal essay.