Seniors offer roadmap for Wildcats looking to navigate secondary labyrinth
The seemingly never ending halls at West have a historic tendency to intimidate incoming freshmen. High school can be a stressful time, overwhelming and confusing for everyone. The only real difference between these stress points would be the benefit of experience as upperclassmen have learned the hard way how to navigate both the hallways and the tightrope of high school life as a whole.
Fortunately for the newest Wildcats, some seniors are willing to step forward to share the wisdom of the pack.
“Even though you’re stressed, don’t worry, take a breather,” senior Stephanie Zellner said. “Whatever you’re stressing about will be over eventually.”
Not only does empty worrying not improve a situation, it also will make the problem worse. Time spent in anxiety could be time spent finding solutions to the trigger. Senior Steven Reigh recommends electives as a good way for students to enjoy high school and decrease anxiety.
“Get involved with what the school offers,” he said. “Sometimes some of the activities may seem lame but getting involved is how you’re really going to have fun.”
Everyone has different interests and finding an outlet in high school is crucial to establishing purpose in what can feel an anonymous journey. Though many seniors recommend “not failing math” as senior Bryce Clark said, the extracurricular activities offered to students serve as stress relievers for overwhelmed students, be they physical or academic.
“For some people it’s working out or journaling,” senior Emma Everett said. “Just find what works for you.”
Many upperclassmen find themselves wishing they had, had someone to guide them when they were just starting out in high school. Senior Josh Janczak believes he would have spent more time in the activities he enjoyed.
“Looking back now, I wish I would have thought more about what I wanted to do and taken the classes that related to it to see if I even liked it,” he said.
Because a student’s preferences will change over time, elective courses can give students a chance to experience an interest, and decide if they would like to pursue it or not.
“It would have saved me a lot of time now and helped me figure out a new plan after finding out I wasn’t interested in the topic like I had thought,” Janczak said.
Sometimes exploring your current interests can lead someone to realize that they don’t enjoy the topic in the way they thought. Senior Dom Mueller spoke about what to do in those situations.
“Find something outside of your comfort zone,” he said. “You never know what you will find if you break out of your shell.”
With the pile of school work and those extra activities, setting a routine is also a great way to navigate the day.
“Find a routine that you’re going to be able to keep,” Everett said. “Make sure you stick to it.”
While experiences and activities come and go, and fade over time during and after a high school journey, relationships remain hard wired into the memories and spirits.
“I would say my favorite part was creating new friendships with people and teachers,” senior Kennedy Brantley said. “When I go to study hall and the teachers talk to me, it makes me feel good because I know that I have teachers who know me and care about me.”
Though students build relationships with some teachers, it may be difficult to talk to others. Oftentimes, the unnecessary fear that students feel about communicating with an ‘authority’ figure actively disrupts and destabilizes their chance for success.
“Don’t be scared to ask for help,” Brantley said. “Teachers aren’t as scary as some people might think and if anyone has any questions, they would be happy to help.”
Teachers will be there when a student needs help, but they are not omnipresent. Janzcak encourages underclassmen not to dwell on mistakes or the adverse situations that follow. This can cause someone to miss out on what is happening in the present, and those same ‘mistakes’ simply offer another opportunity to grow.
“You can’t think about how your mistakes are going to have a huge impact on you because a lot of them won’t,” he said. “If anything, those mistakes are what made me who I am, and I don’t regret any of them.”
High school is a time to do things wrong and still have fun doing it. As a student, it is normal to go through daily struggles.
“Much like finding a routine to help you stay organized,” Mueller said. “Your entire high school career will come with trial and error. Don’t stress about it, just try again”
Becoming involved with new and positive people will help a student through the tough times. Finding those bonds, while sometimes unnoticed, means everything.
“Don’t be scared to be yourself,” Brantley said. “The bonds formed in high school won’t be genuine friendships if you don’t show who you really are.”
It’s so easy to take those little moments for granted, but if you don’t savor them, they’ll be gone in the blink of an eye.
“I honestly still feel like a freshman,” Zellner said. “Enjoy this time. Have fun in high school because the time flies. Make everyday count.”
By Addison Isely
Oshkosh West Index, Volume 117 Issue I
October 2nd, 2020