Many students remember how scared, or not, they were when they made the transition from middle school to high school. Every year a new group of freshmen enter the building and upperclassmen aren’t always the most eager to welcome them in, but for this group, a few students are happy to lend some advice.

“I’d like to say to get an agenda,” freshman Garrett Gregg said. “Stay organized and listen to teachers.”

Freshman Gabriela Taliaferro suggests using GPS time to its full extent and to always get your homework done. Certain students took a more personal approach.

“Just be yourself,” sophomore Karolynn Wolfe said. “Don’t let your friends or other people tell you how to act.”

Senior Jasmine Lawson explains the same advice, but more in depth.

“Probably the most utterly cliché but completely true advice I can give to the incoming freshman is be yourself, stop trying to fit in,” Lawson said. “The moment you embrace who you are, you will enjoy life so much more. My first two years of high school I pretended to be someone I was not. Ever since I accepted myself, I have never been happier. Being who you are opens yourself to so many people and opportunities that you will love. Hiding who you are not only hurts yourself, it deprives the rest of the world of a great personality.”

17mcrees@usd489.com