Freshmen year is one of the most important years of high school. It’s the building blocks for the remaining years to build off of. Freshmen experience many different things that first year, and The Register interviewed freshmen for words of advice they would give to incoming freshmen and things they wish they had done differently.
Freshmen Vadim Lanphier, Andre Strum, and Julian Nielsen shared their thoughts on their experience as freshmen and what they wish they knew.
They all agreed that high school was a different experience with many things to be uncovered. “Freshmen year went amazing; it expanded new opportunities to me,” Nielsen said.
They were advised that it would be very stressful, and completely different, but it wasn’t. “People said it would be hard and that it was difficult and a lot of work, but I thought it was better,” Lanphier said.
“Some advice I was given was that you definitely need to make friends and find your people, I took that to heart, and I have been making new friends every week,” Nielsen said. Learning is something everyone goes through but making sure you’re not alone is a top priory for many.
“Definitely more freedom than middle school,” Strum said. Freedom came with both happiness and the realization that they would have to start holding themselves accountable with what is done during the time in school.
When asked about anything they wish they would do differently, some believed that what happened, happened for a reason and it was a learning experience. “I would do more class work, because with the freedom it was really hard to focus,” Nielsen said
Words they would give to incoming freshmen were:
“I would say make a lot of friends so you’re not lonely and have a good high school experience,” Strum said.
“High school matters. Colleges aren’t going to look at your middle school grades – they are going to look at your high school grades and strive for at least a 3.0 GPA,” Nielsen said.
“I would tell them it’s going to be okay, it’s going to be easy and not even that much work,” Lanphier said.
They all had a common theme in their advice, giving encouragement to incoming freshmen and telling them that even though middle school may have not been the best, they can still turn it around. Central is a new school with a new beginning.
These freshmen will be using many different strategies going into their sophomore year.
“My sophmore year I will be putting my phone in my backpack and using my time more wisely. This year I was on my phone most of the time or talking to friends and not locked in,” Nielsen said.
They said to be prepared for the unexpected and continue to expand their knowledge. “Next year, I will be taking my brain, be more hardworking, and my notes,” Lanphier said.
