Back to School 2018-2019: Advice for the Underclassmen

By Rachel Saferstein

The summer of 2018 zoomed by faster than a stroke of lighting, and the 2018-2019 school year was approaching. A new year at school includes old friends rejoicing with one another, while new friendships bloom as fast as the cherry blossom trees in the springtime, new extra curricular clubs to partake in, and welcoming brand new teachers in our school. Students of the class of 2022 begin their next educational phase at Lower Moreland; a slightly different learning environment and social atmosphere compared to Murray Ave. As for the students part of the graduating class of 2019, this year will be the final journey they will embark in their high school careers.

This year at Lower Moreland is my final year before I graduate with the class of 186 students in June, then proceeding to the next educational transition: college in August 2019. Instead of reflecting my first but last day of high school, I will reflect about the mistakes I made and the ways I resolved it as pieces of advice for the underclassmen as they endure this school year.

As an incoming freshman in September 2015, I never took the initiative to “live in the moment,” (a mantra I would begin to fully adopt my senior year) not realizing how fast the time would fly by. Literally! I realized I was a fool to spend my first month of high school stressing about clubs, when I should have been focusing on my academic classwork. Sophomore year 2016 set the bar really high. Although I succeeded in my classes, my involvement in clubs decreased. I was not as active I as I was during 9th grade, due to the challenging assignments. I still think back to the numerous hours spent at home studying for tests and quizzes, when I could have spent at least 30 minutes after school assisting the Environmental Club with a cleanup around the school campus, or attending a Spanish Club’s fiesta, making more friends and bonding over the culture it self. It opened my eyes at the end of sophomore year that no matter how much studying you have to do, you can still commit your time to clubs while prepping for your incoming tests/completing your assignments. Although I struggled academically in junior year, I had made friends with some of the sophomores in buddy club. Instead of embracing the new changes in my life, I was so focused on tutoring, my grades, and clubs instead of also including the fun moments of junior year. It occurred to me last June that I COULD include my friends in the discussion of my stress, even if they were two grades below me, since they too would be in my shoes in two years.

Flash forward to the present school year; I’m now a senior. This school year I decided to commit to making a bigger difference. For example, in my Spanish class, my Spanish teacher (whom I had for two years), Senora Cantrell, always told us to be more “socially involved with our Spanish learning” since she believed “when students interact with other peers in the classroom they previously never spoke to, the students gain more literacy in Spanish, while understanding the fundamentals of a Spanish speaking conversation.” I took the initiative by being more social with my Spanish learning compared to last year in Spanish I, where I felt somewhat uncomfortable since I barely knew the freshmen in my class. This year I opened up more by interacting with my peers in class discussions and being more engaged when working on projects/class assignments. Who know you could instantly bond with new friends? Now, I totally understand why Cantrell put so much emphasis on partner work in Spanish as well as participating in class discussions: you really get to meet people/sometimes become friends with eventually who are so almost alike as you in a fascinating way while working on Spanish assignments as a class or with partners. Senior year is already off to a great start. I started to go back to the hang of the after school clubs routines including joining the volleyball club. In addition, I am currently managing the buddy club instagram (@lmhsbuddyclub) and serving as the vice-president. Before I knew it, there were only eight more months left before heading of to CAPS and graduation. Instead of thinking about the negatives and the challenges I soon will endure during senior year, I decided to focus on the positives and live in the moment. Therefore, my advice to all the underclassmen, especially the 9th graders, is to make the most of your years in high school, and do not make the same mistakes as I once did. This school year is a fresh slate for a wild adventure coming your way. In addition, make close connections with your teachers. At first you might disagree with them, but perhaps they, and their class, will grow on you. Do not waste your time stressing about clubs to commit to, focus on your academics and choose clubs you are devoted to. Set academic goals for yourselves for the 2018-2019 school year. And most importantly, be yourself, you only have one life to live so not only do it , just pursue it!