It is always a bittersweet moment when the senior class graduates and moves on to bigger things.  Most of the seniors will go off to college, while some will travel the world or do a PG year.

As seniors leave Williston, they hold onto the memories they created and begin to miss certain things about Williston.   Sam Newman ’15 misses “how much the teachers and your advisors cared.  At college you don’t really have any adults checking in on you.”

Jay Brennan ’15 misses the students, coaches, and faculty at Williston.  Brennan explains how High Point is different from Williston because “being at a school with around 5,500 people now, you obviously won’t know everyone’s name.”

The faculty at Williston is always trying to better the students, whether it is inside the classroom or outside of the classroom.  The faculty act as students’ parents away from home, where at college the faculty are not as involved in their student’s lives.

Recently graduates, are able to reflect on how Williston has prepared them for college.  Maddy Jerolman states that Williston “has prepared me to manage my time well. I don’t have study hall in college, but I always find myself sitting myself down for the same two hours every night with no phone doing my work, just like Williston.”

Managing your time in college can be difficult, especially if you are playing a sport in college.  Williston definitely helps prepare student athletes like Max Chipouras ’15.

Chipouras explains how after doing a PG year at Williston, “I came in knowing how to properly manage my time while juggling a rigorous coarse load with sports and other various activities.”  Williston requires students to do some kind of activity, mainly sports, throughout the whole year, so it helps students get used to not having a lot of free time to do work.

As the class of 2015 is experiencing life without Williston, they are able to give important advice to the class of 2016. Chipouras says “Seize all opportunities, live everyday like it’s your last, take risks, surround yourself with good people, make sacrifices, and don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”

Brennan remembers when he was a senior, he knew what college he was going to. It was difficult to stay motivated with his school work.  Brennan advises the class of 2016, “Once you are into college, don’t stop trying in school.”  Jerolman adds, “Cherish and enjoy every moment at Williston. Before you know it you are at college wishing you were back at Williston.”

Williston has left a great impact on these four recently graduated seniors.  These alumni have taken the advice they learned at Williston to help them get where they are now.