Orion: What are some of the biggest stressors of high school?

Jacqueline: It’s mostly when we have to take tests or big exams that come up because a lot of people care about grades in our school. So I think while you stress for school, also have fun and enjoy high school, because time really does pass by really fast. 

John: Are the teachers strict?

Ava: I feel that teachers aren’t really strict. I mean, they definitely have a good set of expectations, which is good for all teachers, because if they have set expectations for you, that means they believe in you. And I think that at the end of the day, all the teachers will be understanding of anything that you’re going through. So I think that open communication is really important. And all the teachers have different teaching styles in high school. So, every one of the teachers knows what suits their students best. Just trust your teachers along the way and they’ll set you up for college in general.

Orion: What are some of the biggest tips to maintain a high GPA?

Ava: I think time management is really important, especially when you get to like 10th grade, you start taking AP classes in the beginning, there’s going to be a learning curve for like readings and stuff because it is like a college-level course. But I think that there is a lot of pressure to maintain a GPA, but I don’t think you should definitely think about it all the time, because if you’re constantly thinking about it, the pressure is going to get to you, and then it’s just going to end up hurting you at the end.

John: What’s the most efficient way to study?

Jacqueline: It’s definitely also managing your time because when you study for a test, you should definitely start a few days before or even a few weeks before to know your material more. It’s definitely not good to cram like a lot of us do the day before. So, in order to set yourself up to get a good score on your test, definitely study beforehand.

Orion: Are there any recommendations or things I can do to improve my time management?

Ava: I think, I mean, something that helped me a lot was just writing out all the assignments I have to do and looking at Canvas a lot. Once you reach high school, you’ll have classes every other day. So your homework assignments will be due every other day. So try not to participate. Procrastinating it so it’s on the due date, try to do it once you get the assignment. Also, in high school, you get free periods, so make sure you use your free periods well when you take free periods and 80-minute lunches.

Jacqueline: So if you have lunch and a free period combined, that’s so many minutes in total to just do your homework, so just do it during that time. And also, you can use the Silent Room in the library when you really need it.

John: Do you have any suggestions for extracurriculars or clubs?

Jacqueline: Let me promote my own club. My club’s called Teach and Reach, and it’s a really good club if you’re interested in interacting with kids and teaching English. So, if you want to go into education in the future, or any clubs in general, or if you just have an interest in that, I think it’s a great club to join.

Ava: I’ll promote my own club, Orphanage Club. But as Jackie said, it’s a great service club. You’ll be interacting with kids and going on outings to orphanages. Great service club. Very rewarding. Electives, you’ve got to do your robotics credit, art credit. But there are so many options. So just take a look at that course. catalog. It’s super long, but it’s worth it. Just find the classes you actually have an interest in.

Jacqueline: Also, to add on for the clubs, there are a lot of clubs in general in high school. You’ll find what you’re interested in. So definitely go to the club fair that the Dean of Student Life sets up every year. And don’t be afraid to ask questions and join different clubs. And it’s okay to like sign up and not go, and just like it’s okay to just like explore your interests in the beginning and decide what clubs you want to commit to in the end.

Orion: Do you guys recommend taking a free period in high school?

Ava: Definitely. I mean, senior year, there’s like a number of free periods that are recommended as you go into every year. And your counselors are going to talk to that. The first free period I took was junior year, but you can also take one in sophomore year. Freshman year, you’ll usually have your standard eight classes. But definitely, I don’t know if you’ll still remember this advice. Keep in mind that when you go to your senior year, you probably need two free periods. That’s my experience.

Jacqueline: I personally have three free periods in my senior year. But I also took my first free period in junior year, and it was definitely really helpful. But I think as time goes on, you just need to learn time management. It’s a really important skill.

John: When was your favorite year of high school, and what was your least favorite year?

Jacqueline: Personally, my favorite year was definitely, I would say senior year. Although the beginning was really stressful, it feels really good to get into college, and you get a break on everything, and you get to look back on your memories from freshman to senior year. And so it was really fun for me.

Ava: I’ll make you feel better so you don’t have to wait four years. I like freshman year. I mean, I love senior year. It’s really, really fun. It’s probably my favorite year, but freshman year was also really fun. Everything was new. No one expected me to know anything yet, so I could just, like, “Oh, I don’t know what that is, I’m a freshman.”

Orion: What is your favorite activity in high school?

Jacqueline: Although I don’t know if it counts as an activity, I’m part of the class government. And I feel like if you have an interest in fostering class spirit for your grade, and if you really do love organizing things for people, I really recommend running for class gov or even stu gov because it’s a really fun experience. You get to connect with your classmates, and you really get to know your whole grade a lot better. And it’s really fun to watch your grade come together during spirit week and different events at school.

Ava: My favorite activity has to be the Orphanage Club, but I think that, in general, having a leadership position in a service club or just any club is really rewarding. I think it’s definitely worth it.

John: What are some false expectations that upcoming ninth graders have?

Jacqueline: I feel like there are always people who set expectations for how many APs and IBs you have to take during your high school years. I really don’t think there’s a number of, like a set number that you have to exceed because personally, I didn’t take that many AP and IB classes. I think it’s just finding what suits you best and what classes you’re interested in, and don’t force yourself to take classes that you may not like and are too hard for you.

Ava: Yeah, just adding on, there’s no set course. You don’t have to take particular electives in your freshman year or specific classes in your sophomore year. I think that everyone moves on their own schedule. And I know that sounds like something I’m trying to say just to take the stress off, but it’s actually true. Just try not to compare yourself to your peers.