Dear Freshman Sarah,

Congrats on making it through middle school! Now it’s time for the big league.

Welcome to high school! Everyone told me that high school goes by fast, but I didn’t think it was true until I experienced it. Trust me when I say high school goes by fast! I feel like it was just yesterday when I was writing to my senior self at Freshman Overnight, and now, in a few months, I will be reading that letter. Remember to cherish every moment and everything you do. Through high school, you will experience so many amazing things but will also encounter many challenges. Here’s my advice to my freshman self which may be helpful for current freshmen too!

1. Get involved! My first piece of advice is to get involved in everything. Now, don’t overwhelm yourself with too many commitments, but really put yourself out there. If you are thinking about trying out for the cheer team, do it! Trying new things, like track or a new club, will get you out of your comfort zone and provide you with a tremendous opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Show support for EC and your classmates­­­­­­­. Show your school spirit. When high school is over, you will regret not making some of those connections or attending those school events. Take advantage of those opportunities and attend those sporting events and concerts. You will make memories that last a lifetime.
    
2. Always remain true to yourself! My second piece of advice is to ALWAYS remain true to yourself. You may want to try and change yourself to fit in with a particular crowd but don’t. If someone doesn’t like you for who you are, they are certainly not worth your time. You are amazing and perfect the way you are. Finding the right friends is hard, and that’s okay. You don’t have to find them right away. Always be kind and be your best self and you will find your way.
    
3. Try your best! My third piece of advice is always to try your best. My dad always said that if you try your best, that is all anyone can ever ask of you. School is not always easy, but if you try your best and do the work, everything will work out. I do wish I had been better at time management over the last four years. Once you get time management down, you will be on top of the world. It is so important to learn to balance friends, family, activities and schoolwork. It can be challenging, but I believe in you.
    
4. Ask for help! My fourth and final piece of advice is to remember that it is okay to ask for help. There are countless times when I should have asked for help but didn’t. The teachers are not scary, and they all want to see you succeed. If you have a question, go and ask them. All the teachers at EC are actually very nice when you get to know them.

Good luck with the next four years! You got this!

Love,

Sarah Daly (Senior)