As a senior, my biggest piece of advice would be to start your college applications as soon as possible. First semester, I found myself stressed to the max because of impending deadlines and finding recommendations. The Common Application should be your best friend. I waited way too long to start the application process and spent many Saturday nights writing last minute essays and hoping and praying my teachers would get my recommendations on in time. Another major thing I noticed during the application process would be that, despite the many applications I started, I never turned them all in and all the work that went into those are lost. So the main point to take from this: Don’t hesitate when it comes to college application season. [Madison Tenney]

As a senior, my biggest piece of advice is to try and enjoy the people around you as much as you can. Now that I’m a senior, my classes don’t take up as much time or stress as they did last year. This leaves room for me to be more aware of the people around me and allows me to enjoy the interactions I have with everyone. Just make sure to make the most of your last year of high school because even though a better chapter of your life is about to begin, make sure you don’t miss out on all the relationships and connections you can make with the people around you. [Emma Mink]

My biggest piece of advice for sophomore year would be to not procrastinate. The level of work definitely increases after freshman year, and it can be overwhelming. This year, I had my hardest classes in one semester, and I struggled with managing my time wisely. I would also highly recommend taking Honors English 2 with Ms. Wood. It is a challenging course, but it will help you become a much better writer, reader, and thinker. Enjoy sophomore year, and do not stress yourself out too much over academics. [Abby Ann Ramsey]

Being a senior, I have a couple pieces of advice to offer. The main one being do not procrastinate. You end up wasting a lot more time and losing a lot more time by doing so. It also adds a lot of stress to what should be a good time during your high school experience. Get things done on time at the very least. A big piece of advice for especially juniors would be get your applications started and start taking standardized tests early. College deadlines come up quickly, and things can go wrong fast so it’s best to have time to fix things. Most importantly, though, this sounds super cliché, but enjoy the time you have here as much as possible. I took a lot of it for granted and let a lot of opportunities pass by that I wish I could go back and do. I know high school is not the best for everyone, but try to make the best of it because it will be gone before you know it. [Emily Simmons]

As a sophomore, I’m still figuring this thing out too guys, so I don’t how credible I am, but here goes. First of all, nobody here is as mature as they think they are, and we’re all trying to navigate this too. People are just that – people. People who have their own fears, strengths, insecurities, and faults. We’re also all moody and packed full of hormones and first world problems and subtweets so the ups and downs can hit you real hard and real fast (hence the jock who suddenly talks about philosophical stuff and gets a string of retweets from angsty teenage girls). Life. Moves. Fast. The good news? Crying is great. It is so great. Totally underrated. Secondly, if you’re going to procrastinate, make sure you do it well. Getting things together and turned in on time is way more fulfilling than a Red Bull fueled 2 a.m. homework binge. Another huge piece of advice, especially for sophomores, is that you’ve got your whole future ahead of you; don’t forget that. So when you walk into sophomore year, remember that and just take a deep breath, focus on being a decent human being, and let your freak flag fly…save the rest for later. Last but certainly not least: they are not just Pop-Tarts. Don’t underestimate them, cool? Thanks. [Abby Kelley]

For those preparing to become juniors next year, that means you’ll finally be an upperclassmen so the younger students will begin to look up to you. Be sure to be a good role model for everyone, and be a positive influence around the school. This may seem difficult because junior year is definitely the hardest academic wise. You will be challenging yourself everyday, and your homework load will most definitely increase to levels you’ve never imagined. Just be sure to stay on top of things and don’t procrastinate (I know you hear this all the time, but it is so important in this year of your life). Along with the hard classes, you also have to start preparing to apply to college. Your life is jumpstarting and it can get overwhelming but be sure to stick to deadlines and don’t be too hard on yourself. One bad grade isn’t the end of the world. As for the ACT, do lots and lots of review and I would recommend to take it multiple times in order to get the best score you can; the test seems like a lot to deal with, but just stay focused and driven. Be sure to treasure every moment you can because it’ll fly by, and then you’ll be a senior before you know it. Even though there are some necessary hard classes to take, make sure to have time to do things you enjoy and take electives that you want to take. This year may be hard, but you can get through it if you push yourself. Oh, and if you have Mr. Balcom, treasure every single moment in his class – it’s the best part of junior year. [Maggie Price]

Senior year makes you realize a lot of things. Guys, take the classes you want to take because high school only happens once. Try out for a stage tech interview or apply for The Bark or BBN. School is free right now, so take advantage of what you want to learn because once you go to college, you will have to play hundreds of dollars for each credit. Have fun. High school only happens once. Try not to stress too much. [Fatima Bhidya]