As another year at LHS draws to an end, things are beginning to shift. The smell of summer drifts through classroom windows; the promise of freedom and excitement permeates the air. This school year may have been uncertain for many students, as navigating high school tends to be littered with anxiety for many. Yet, sometimes, receiving advice from fellow students, especially ones who have gone through all four years of high school, can help assuage some of our fears. What better way to navigate our paths than to hear from those who have gone before us? Thus, we gathered advice from seniors on what they wished they had been told as freshmen, as well about their most memorable high school moments. Below, read the questions we posed and the answers they shared. 

• If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your freshman self? 

• “If I could travel back in time, advice I would give to my freshman self would be to stay consistent, which means stay consistent through school as in studying, participating in class….This also means staying consistent in my sports, including varsity basketball, varsity lacrosse, and varsity cross country, which I made my freshman year. I would also tell my freshman self to be patient because in the end, things will work out, and do not rush through high school because it seriously goes by so fast.” — Kaelyn O’Brien 
• “If I had to give one piece of advice to freshman me, I’d tell him to keep his guard up and be prepared for whatever life throws at him. God knows he needs that.” — Andrew Schiller 
• “Say yes to things! Clubs, going to games, hanging out with new people….You’ll never know if you like something until you try it! I also think it’s really important to form a good relationship with your teachers and participate in class; it makes the school day a lot more interesting, and you get more out of learning.” –Abbey McManus 
• “I would tell my freshman self to branch out more. There are so many opportunities in high school to find new interests and get involved, and I’d tell anyone who’s thinking about joining something not to wait. Don’t be afraid to run for a leadership position as an underclassman [!]…I’d also tell myself to enjoy high school and put less pressure on myself. High school goes by much faster than you think, and you want to look back on your last years as a ‘ kid ‘ fondly. You should always push yourself and be the best you can be, but make sure you’re kind to yourself and those around you along the way.” — Emilia Perri 
• “…[I would] tell myself to stop worrying [about] the small things; everything will work out.” –Allison Anemone 
• “…I would tell my freshman self to not take for granted the time we have in high school. Time goes by so fast and in the blink of an eye you will be graduating.” — Hailey Samelson 
• “If I could go back in time, I would tell my freshman self to never sacrifice my well-being for school. Especially as I took on more leadership roles and took more AP classes, I began to skip meals and only get three to four hours of sleep each night. And while all of the work I had to do got done, the toll it all took on my health was immense. I wish I had prioritized my health more, as that is one of the most important things in life.” – Kate Chiulli  
• “…I would tell myself to try the things I’m scared to do. I would take more risks and put myself in more clubs and activities.” — Liam Schorr
• “…I would definitely say not to sweat the small stuff and don’t be afraid to take chances. Freaking out about little tests or presenting a project does not make a difference in the long run, and you will end up where you are meant to go. And as for taking chances, you will never know the outcome of something unless you try[!]…Just go with the flow and everything will be alright.”  — Aleeza Khurram
• “…I would tell my freshman self to not take things so seriously. Learn to give yourself more grace, and don’t be so hard on yourself. More importantly, if something doesn’t feel right to you, chances are it’s not right for you. And that’s okay.” – Alyssa Inserra 

• What is your most treasured high school moment?

• “My most treasured moment in high school would be making the County Championship in basketball this year. It was an exciting and rare experience and so many people supported us. We, unfortunately, lost, but it was something I’m going to remember forever.” — Kaelyn O’Brien 
• “One of my fondest high school moments was walking out with my parents on the field before homecoming this year for kickline. Every year since I was little, I’d watch the seniors get announced and think about how old they were and how far away that was. When that day came and it was my turn to walk across the field, the little time I had left in high school became very apparent. That moment made me look back on the last three years and realize how many great moments I’ve had and how grateful I am for a lot of the people I’ve spent them with. While high school is hard for a lot of people and definitely isn’t the climax of my life, in that moment I truly felt like I made the most of my time.” — Emilia Perri 
• “My most treasured high school moment is getting to spend my senior year in school with my little brother. Being able to experience his first year of high school will always be a memory to remember.” — Hailey Samelson 
• “My most treasured memories are the ones I made in Mrs. Leighley’s Spanish class with all my friends.” – Allison Anemone 
• “My most treasured moment is Human Relations Day! I’m a part of SGA, so I had the opportunity to escort speakers both last year and this year. Getting to meet such engaging and kind speakers and accompanying them throughout the day was so fun, as well as being exposed to such a variety of people and unique experiences to learn from!” – Abbey McManus 
• “My most treasured high school memory is the experience of Class Night. A week in March when acting suddenly becomes the coolest thing you can possibly do is amazing. Enough said.” — Andrew Schiller 
• “My favorite memories from high school would definitely be the small moments I shared with my peers.  From Classnight rehearsals to card games in the cafeteria during free periods, and hilarious lab groups in my science classes, is what I will be missing most once I leave high school.” — Aleeza Khurram  
• “[My] most treasured high school moment was coming [on] top in Model Congress three times.” — Liam Schorr
• “…when I found out I was going to be next year’s editor-in-chief of Horizon. I knew as a freshman that was a goal I wanted to attain when I became a senior,  and seeing my name…and realizing that dream was going to become a reality meant so much to me. I have been so happy working as the Driftstone editor-in-chief this past year, and I am hoping that the section will continue to grow.” – Alyssa Inserra 
• “My most treasured high school moment was getting to be the pit orchestra concertmistress for last year’s production of Les [Misérables]…. Although the music was very difficult, the memories I made during pit orchestra are precious. Nothing compares to the feeling of performing in front of a packed audience and accompanying your friends acting on stage.” – Kate Chiulli