My thoughts for the first Quarter of Freshman Year…
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Terry Shen. At this moment, I am in quarter one of my senior year at Pine View School, and as someone who has attended our school since 6th grade, I feel as though I have learned a lot throughout the years. I truly feel wonderfully blessed to be in such a close community which has given me so many opportunities.
Writing this blog, my purpose and goal is to reflect upon my high school journey thus far. Here are a few thoughts about what I would do with my current knowledge if I started high school again as a freshman.
For context regarding my experience with Pine View:
From being involved in the newspaper “The Torch” to “Pine View Speech and Debate” to “Ping Pong Honor Society,” much of my high school career outside of school hours has been on campus with fellow classmates. I also am honored to serve as Class President and be involved in shows such as Miss Pine View (through Master of Ceremonies) and the Variety Show.
(1) Find extracurriculars that you love.
The first of many years, freshman year is truly a year for exploration. Knowing what I know now, I would join as many clubs as I am interested in. Now, this is surely a piece of advice that you have heard repeatedly. This is for a reason. As your high school career progresses, you will find that more schoolwork (which will come dramatically soon) brings along less time for exploration. Thus, involvement in multiple clubs will likely drop to just a few. I would explore new interests, find new hobbies, and think about what I want to pursue in the future, keeping in mind that time is limited. It is important to look at various types of activities. Take advantage of the many resources at your disposal.
Another important thing to note is that many of the top performers in competitions start early and focus on their development. Let’s take Speech and Debate as an example. Many of the participants at the national level start freshman year — or sooner. The sooner you begin (and persevere), the simpler it is to gain experience and compete. If you are similar to me, you will find many fields fascinating and therefore find it tougher to dedicate time to a few, select clubs. I wouldn’t worry, since you will naturally find those special activities.
(2) The Four-Year Plan
This fillable printout of your high school career’s classes is something to pay attention to. While it is incredibly important to not shoehorn oneself into a rigid schedule, it is critical to understand that wise planning can save time and energy later. After ensuring that all graduation requirements are met, consider what classes may interest you and your potential major. Keep in mind that on their websites, many colleges clearly and specifically list varying expectations for high school curriculum. Maybe you should keep taking a foreign language course. Perhaps you ought to take the more rigorous mathematics course. Depending on what you would like to major in, physics might be a more suitable option than biology, or vice versa. The answers to such questions are up to oneself.
(3) Keep your grades up.
This is no longer middle school, and classes will count towards your GPA and be considered during college admissions. While college may seem far away now, please save yourself from worrying about your GPA as an upperclassman, since there is no better time to work hard than now.
(4) Develop habits and skills.
Finally, your customs and routines fostered today will likely carry on to the future. From study skills to interpersonal relationships to foundational concepts, be sure to test the waters of high school and set yourself up for the future. Find what works for you.
(5) Have Fun!
What I love most about Pine View is the community, which is built through our various clubs, classes, traditions, and events. I would encourage everyone to participate in events hosted by classes, spirit week, and more! The events, many of which have lasted over five decades, will open many doors for you.
(5)Final Thoughts:
Of course, there isn’t too much to worry about. Exploration inherently and necessarily means trial and error. Everyone will make mistakes, so isn’t it better to make those mistakes in high school than to make them later?
One last thing for my Quarter 1 thoughts: you may think that “succeeding” at high school is based solely on luck. I generally remind myself what Benjamin Franklin wrote: “Diligence is the mother of good luck.”
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out through E-mail: terry.shen@pineviewtorch.com