Dear freshman class,

Congratulations. You made it. I bet you haven’t heard that from a lot of people in your first weeks in high school, since you’re kind of at the bottom of the totem pole, but it is an accomplishment to be proud of. You made it through what I like to call the worst, most awkward years ever. Granted, you were given four more enduring years as a prize, but, as a senior, I can promise you they go by faster than you think.

As the sister of a freshman this year, I have had to answer a lot of questions to help my sibling through his first weeks of high school. Where is Mr. Runyan’s classroom? (All the way in the back corner of the social studies hallway. I couldn’t find it my first year, either). What does it mean if I have early release? (You get out of seminar early on selected Fridays, and by early, I mean as soon as the travel bell rings). Why are my teachers giving me so much homework? (Wait until junior year, and then come talk to me, bud). Unfortunately, as the oldest, I didn’t have anyone to ask questions or lean on my freshman year. I was pretty much on my own.

I’m sure a lot of you are in the same boat I was; you don’t have an older sibling to help you out or guide you through your first few months at De Soto High School. Although I’ve learned so much in my past three years (plus a few weeks) at DHS on both educational and social aspects, there are a few I think are essential to surviving the next four years without going completely crazy. Hopefully they’ll help you out and make this experience a little less stressful for you.

First and foremost, no matter what you’re doing, always try. I know this seems obvious, but when it’s March and you’re in the middle of baseball tryouts or the spring play or whatever it may be, writing that essay for English just doesn’t seem to be on the top of your priority list sometimes. Getting good grades (and in turn, being rewarded for it) really isn’t that hard, as long as you put in the effort. As long as you do the best you can on your math homework or study your Spanish for 15 minutes each night, you’re going to get the grade you deserve (and definitely don’t wait until 9 o’clock on Sunday night to start a project due Monday morning. I’ve made that mistake one too many times).

Trying doesn’t just relate to homework, either. Making an effort to get to know your teachers is one of the best things you can do. Have a conversation with them once in awhile, ask them how their day was, or tell them about something you did over the weekend you think they might find interesting. They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll probably start enjoying their class more simply from knowing them better.

Secondly, don’t worry about what other people think of you too much. Take it from me: my freshman year I was so worried about what people thought of me, it drove me crazy. Since nearly all of my middle school friends went to Mill Valley, I was kind of a loner coming into high school. I wanted so desperately to make friends and be in the ‘in’ crowd, I started acting like someone I’m not. Learn from my mistakes; don’t do that.

That’s another thing: don’t try so hard to be ‘popular.’ I know right now it seems like the be all, end all, but it’s not. In four years when you graduate, you’ll hardly ever see most of these people you’ve been in school with for so long ever again. Everything you built yourself up to be will be over. Being popular is not the most important thing you can do in high school. People are going to remember you for the way you treated them, not your social status. So, rather than going to desperate measures to become popular, just be really, really nice to everyone. After all, the whole point of being popular is so that everyone will know and adore you, isn’t it? If you’re super nice to everyone, you’re having the same effect, just without seeming intimidating to others and having to stress over your status so much.

So, don’t worry about what people think about you too much. If you’re worried someone doesn’t like you, chances you’re probably wrong. And as long as you shower them with kindness, what does it matter?

My last and probably my most important tip is to find what you’re passionate about and run with it. I mean sprint. Leap and bound. Don’t ever give up on what you love.

When I was a sophomore, I joined the school newspaper on a sort of impulsive decision. I didn’t know anything about journalistic writing and I hadn’t done more than take a class on photography. At the time, I wanted to be a creative writer when I grew up. My parents pushed me to join because they knew I liked writing (even though fiction and journalism are very different) and I had a couple of friends on staff, so I thought why not? Newspaper ended up being a place to go for me. The journalism classroom was where I went to eat if I didn’t have anyone to sit by at lunch (not near the expensive Macs, of course) and it’s where I went to work during seminar nearly every day. Two years later, I’m Editor-in-Chief with my best friend and I’m accepted into the University of Kansas journalism program as a freshman. To say the least, I fell in love with journalism. It’s what I come to school everyday to do—I spend more than enough time in the Mac lab when I’m at school and every sporting event or school function I’m at, I’m snapping pictures rather than sitting with the student section.

The point I’m trying to get at here is that if I hadn’t joined newspaper, I would be totally lost. Don’t be afraid to try something new, because you might end up loving it. And once you find that thing you really, really love, put everything you have into it. Every ounce of energy you contain should go to the thing you’re passionate about. Don’t let anyone put you down and don’t stop at anything to make yourself great.

So basically, high school is a pretty cool place if you do it right. Don’t be too nervous, and don’t stress about it too much. No matter what your past few weeks have looked like, I promise everything will eventually fall into place. It may take a few months. If you’re like me, it will take a year and a half. I wouldn’t trade the last three years of my life for anything, and I hope in three years when you’re in my shoes, you’ll feel the same way.

Cherish the time you have here at DHS, because it goes a whole lot faster than you think. Trust me.

Sincerely,

A 2017 grad-to-be (P.S.: we aren’t actually as big and old and scary as you may think)