Entering the world of high school can be a terrifying experience for incoming freshmen. Luckily for them, The Willistonian gathered some helpful advice from outgoing seniors.

Mac Kongsomjit, a senior from Thailand, revealed his formula for success in high school.

“One advice I’d give to my freshman-year self would be to prioritize my time better because that’s the most important resource as a high schooler,” he said. “Learn to think about the costs and benefits of whatever you’re spending your time doing”

In terms of academics, Mac recommended planning ahead academically and taking study hall seriously.

“Plan out your course for the four years because you don’t wanna be in your junior year thinking, ‘I should have taken this course which would have allowed me to take courses useful for my college major,'” he said. “Just spend half an hour creating a general roadmap of what you want your high school experience to be; that’s what I did.”

He continued, “Another thing is picking up good studying habits. The first step is to take study hall seriously. Freshman and sophomore year academics are pretty laid back and easy, but then it’ll ramp up quite a bit in your junior and senior year. When you go into college, a lot of people have this problem where they get screwed over by the increased rigor because they never had proper studying habits.”

Anfisa Bogdanenko, a senior from Russia, recommended joining club organizations.

“Clubs are a good thing!” she said. “Even if you aren’t immediately hooked, they are definitely worth a try. At the very least, you will find another person who you can say ‘hi’ to on-campus and sit with at dinner. At best, you will make lasting friendships and develop meaningful hobbies.”

Anfisa stressed the importance of utilizing the academic resources at Williston.

‘If you’re struggling, there are math, writing, and science resource centers,” she said. “There are also things like Arete that can help you with tutoring. Don’t forget to take advantage of those things to be a better student. ”

Matthew Moreno, a senior from Bermuda, stressed the importance of being academically active and flexible about who you’re friends with.

“Expect your friend group to change,” he said. “Your friend group in your freshman year won’t your be your friend group in your senior year. You’ll still be cool with those guys, but you won’t be as close as you were.”

He continued, “Try to buckle down from the jump. Get your homework done during your frees; that way you have more free time. Don’t wait till it’s out of your control to try to do something about it. Go to extra help.”