With only one month left this school year, the class of 2024 is preparing for their upcoming graduation. The class of 2024 had a very interesting high school experience, starting their freshman year virtually in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In their final four years of grade-school education, these seniors have had to overcome barriers of all sorts and they have advice for the underclassmen as the final countdown to graduation commences.
Advice for Underclassmen
“Participate in school-wide activities like spirit weeks, leadership workshops, and pep rallies. You don’t want to become a senior and wish you did more ‘high school’ things while you [were] here.” – Aliyah Pitts, Senior Class President
“First, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Second, get involved in activities and clubs that interest you. It’s a great way to make friends and discover new passions. Lastly, make sure to manage your time wisely and prioritize your studies. But most importantly, enjoy the journey and have fun along the way!” – Tyranae Leak
“Joining extracurricular activities like clubs or sports can help you become more involved in school!” – Makayla Parker
“Self-care is incredibly important and includes caring for your future self as well. It’s a lot easier to build your GPA up than it is to fix it when it’s already low. Extracurriculars are super important if you’re looking at college as an option!! It’s best to have a variety of commitments, but make sure you’re getting involved with things you actually care about. You want your academic resume to align with your real interests and hobbies.” – Jasper Covington
“Do not be afraid to ask for help in any subject and life aspects! Things spiral quicker than you think.” – Sheridan Anthony
“Do -not- procrastinate your work. STAY ON TOP OF THE GAME!!! JOIN CLUBS!! Joining clubs allows you to meet people who are interested in the same things as you! Lastly, participate in spirit days. You will miss having them! Go to academy concerts and performances! They allow you to see how much talent this school really has! Please Please PLEASE participate in showing spirit for your class. It’s fun & makes you cool!” – Charlie Molinary
“Make sure to talk to your counselor. And always make sure to wear the best fits.” – Izzy Olivero
“Step out of your comfort zone and participate in events going on in school. This sounds really cliché, but it’s said so often for a reason. I waited until Junior year to try out for tennis since I thought I wasn’t a sports person, but it’s ended up being one of my favorite things and I would have had more time playing if I had tried out sophomore year. High school flies by so fast. In order to build that connection and make it worthwhile, you should participate in as much as you can. Audition for One Act Play or Fringe, try a sport or two, volunteer when you can, just put yourself out there and get involved in anything you can, because if not you might find yourself senior year with nothing remarkable to show for your high school career.” – Ebanehita Ighalo
“While staying focused on school work is important, so is building a social life and connections! Don’t spend all your time studying or working on homework, make time for friends and hanging out! Those will be your best memories of high school, not the three hours you spent cramming for a test. Get involved! There’s so many clubs and activities at Salem that make it easy to work with your schedule and interests. Also, get a job! I have learned so many valuable social and financial skills that school doesn’t teach. Learning how to do taxes, working with unhappy customers, and learning to work with people you normally wouldn’t.” – Riley Sievers
“Just be yourself, don’t try to be anyone you’re not. And also have fun and enjoy high school.” – Tristan Blanco
“Enjoy your time while it lasts! Go to events, go out with your friends- don’t get lost in academics the whole time. The best memories you’ll make are the stupid conversations and weird things you get up to with the right group of people. You’ll find your people :)” – Elizabeth Sweeney
“ASK QUESTIONS. It’s genuinely better than to take a risk and fail than to not take a risk. Get out of your head because everyone feels the same way. In theatre and outside of it, don’t focus on emotions, instead use tactics and objectives (What does my character want and how will they try to get it ex. to bargain, to calm). Move away from always working with your friends, not being friends with certain people will not be the end of the world. Put in the work and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that no one can take away.” – Celeste Wise
“Nothing is embarrassing. Everyone is growing and scared to be judged but no one cares as deeply as you think they do. We are all just teenagers and life is so much bigger than high school. Enjoy the little things to the fullest!!!” – Davany Hillery
Senior Year Advice
“I urge you to stay close with your favorite teachers and go to every school-led event like prom, homecoming, and pep rallies. Literally, stay on top of your work!! Keep an eye open and learn yourself. Also never be afraid of change, but embrace it.” – Edgar Tucker
“Try not to procrastinate too much! Senioritis will hit (it’s inevitable) and you’ll feel like not doing anything, but you have to push through it somehow. Reward yourself for doing work, eliminate distractions (i.e. your phone), have an accountability buddy, or use any other strategy that will help you stay on track. If you can’t manage that, prioritize the work for your mandatory core classes over your electives. Senioritis is dangerous and it can easily ruin your senior year, so be wary!” – Irene Straw
“Get started early!! Don’t wait until your senior year to get involved/prepared. Collect volunteer hours, join clubs, take your SAT, gather resume-building materials, and start scholarships NOW!!” – Nassir Foster
“Please let yourself have fun or else you won’t ever be happy.” – Sammi Easmeil
“Accept that senioritis might make you go from academic weapon to academic victim. It doesn’t mean you’re dumb, it means you’re sick of high school and that’s ok!! Burnout is normal, you just have to finish strong.” – Lilly Ramos
“Save your absences, senioritis is going to hit you like a truck.” – Maddison Barton
Advice For Post-High School Planning
“First things first, enjoy your senior year, but don’t completely overload yourself so you are constantly stressed; at the same time you need to maintain your involvement and grades- these still matter!! If you are applying to college, take the SAT multiple times. Make sure you ask for letters of recommendation and start your essays early. I highly suggest working with the ACCESS office too! Make sure you apply for scholarships and start those applications early. If you aren’t a rising senior, make sure to get involved, take classes you’re interested in, and enjoy your time here.” – Mackenna Wyckoff
“You don’t have to have everything figured out! Please don’t stress too much about it… There’s always the pressure of what to do after high school and whether you should go to college or not. For the longest time, college was the last thing I wanted to think about and I didn’t know what I wanted to do until my senior year!! Originally, I didn’t even want to go to college, but now I’m going to SAIC for fashion design and I couldn’t be happier! It’s okay to have a late start!! It’s your future, so don’t rush through things like this… sometimes it just has to come to you. College isn’t for everyone and that’s okay! It’s your path, so choose the road that fits you best!” – Ebony “Dice” Perry
It’s been a long time coming for this group of students, and nothing will be more rewarding for them than walking that stage on June 11th in person, in front of family, teachers, and peers. The seniors are finally preparing to “log off” one last time, but not without much dedication, hard work, and diligence in times of both expected and unpredictable adversity. If they can do it, so can you.
