Dear Underclassmen,

As my senior year comes to a close and I look back on my journey through Morgan, I have been thinking about how I entered high school, how the unknown clouded my mind.

Stepping into freshman orientation during the summer of 2021, nerves arose within me, surrounded by upperclassmen with challenging classes looming in the future. Even among the intense spirit and warm welcome, it was a daunting experience nonetheless.

Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to expect going into my freshman year: how the classes would be, the new changing dynamics between peers, and how I would get involved here at Morgan.

This letter serves to provide some insight of what the next four years may look like, but also some advice on how to be successful during your time here.

For me, much of my success has been found through academics. The moment in which I was called down and told I was Valedictorian was a strange one. I had set this goal for myself and worked extremely hard for it, but honestly it didn’t feel real at the moment, knowing that four years of tireless effort had finally paid off.

With academics, clubs, and sports, it all felt like a glimpse. Though it felt like it flew by, lots of time went into it, among that was time taken to figure myself and my goals out, and how I would prepare myself for the future.

Hopefully through my advice, I can save some of your time and kickstart your journey.

My first piece of advice is to not wait. Don’t wait to commit yourself to your goals, whether academically, athletically, etc. I guarantee you that you will regret not starting them earlier. I have certainly looked back and wished that I started clubs from an earlier age, and became involved with activities outside of school sooner.

Don’t wait to put effort into your academics, either. Two years, even one year, of not “trying” with your grades can set you back.

If you have prestigious college pursuits, they will certainly be looking for long term commitment, and starting sooner will always support your case.

Even if it seems weird being involved as an underclassman, it will set you up with more experience, but also so much more confidence. You will meet more people, and create relationships with teachers, which will be very valuable down the road.

My next piece of insight involves an intrinsic feeling inside of me, but one that can be understood and adapted by others.

I found that whenever I accomplished something or achieved what I wanted, there was still a fire within me that craved more. Essentially, if you want something, or see yourself achieving big things in the future, you need to understand that your hard work doesn’t stop after you reach your first milestone.

Rather, it is a constant journey. Meaning, complacency does not exist if you aspire for big things. One good grade will not give you an A+, nor will one good game make you a star player. It takes consistency and drive to implement these things.

That is not to say that it won’t be challenging to maintain this, especially with a multitude of other activities going on. In saying this, balance is key. Placing too much attention to one thing, eventually you will burn out.

For me, even though there may have been some difficult periods of time management, participating in sports provided me with an outlet. A break from schoolwork and something that I enjoyed doing. Whether it is sports or another extracurricular activity, making sure to involve yourself in various things will alleviate pressure in a specific area, such as school.

I am not suggesting that you overwork or overload yourself because in the end that won’t help you. Rather, find things you enjoy doing: playing a sport, instrument, volunteering, art, etc. Being able to split your time between multiple activities will allow you to become more well-rounded, but also not overwhelm yourself through one avenue.

Of course time management plays a role in being able to balance multiple activities at a time. Now, I could just tell you to get off your phone, use your studies, etc. But honestly, I use my phone quite a bit and still find time to get my work done.

There have been times when I have needed to shut off my phone for a while and really lock in, but for the majority of the time, I am still able to make time for my phone while executing my work at a high level.

The key to time management is strategy. As you enter your classes, become accustomed to the workload, homework schedule, etc., you must begin to plan. Not everything has to be completed the night it is assigned, if it is not due tomorrow of course. At the same time, work should not be done at the last minute.

Spread out your work into intervals, predict and anticipate work being assigned from other classes, this way you are able to maintain constant involvement in other activities.

Though this may sound corny, my final piece of advice is that you must seize every opportunity that is given to you. Yes, we go to a small town public school, we may not have the opportunities like bigger schools or private schools, but they still exist.

I myself found an internship through the school, after we took a field trip for my chemistry class. If you are looking for opportunities, ask around, tell faculty of your interests, in the end putting in this effort will be worth it.

It is true that you will regret what you have not done more than what you have done.

In concluding this letter, I wanted to address one more thing. If I were to go back to my eighth grade self, I would truly be shocked to where I ended up at the end of my high school career.

I always cared and put effort into my academics, but never anticipated that I would make it this far. I was truly afraid that once I entered high school I would end up flunking, I even asked myself if I failed in my letter to my future self I wrote at S.T.E.P.

Never underestimate yourself, go in with confidence even if it feels daunting, remind yourself that everyone else is in the same shoes as you. Mistakes happen, we all can attest to that, so don’t let them hold you back.

Ultimately, the start of your journey here will not define you, change is inevitable, and the endpoint is what truly counts.

From,
Nina Fishman