A Work in Progress: Four Years of Believing

This is it.

It’s difficult to put into words just how fast high school went by. I mean sure, when you’re younger you probably hear it all the time: “Time flies. Enjoy it while you can.” But when do you ever take that phrase seriously? I sure didn’t. I didn’t realize how accurate it was until all of a sudden reality hit me like a crater to the moon, and I found myself writing this article.

Although sometimes school can be tough, and waking up early in the morning is hardly our favorite activity, every year, every month, every week that we spend in high school is a learning experience, and it’s not just limited to the textbooks. The people we meet, the clubs we join, and the sports we play help define us as a person. The content of our character becomes reflected in the way we treat others, as well as in the pride and effort we put into our work.

That’s not to say that it all happens without a few mishaps along the way, but that’s okay. We all make mistakes. It’s all part of the learning experience. And so, without further adieu, here’s my review of my four years of high school, complete with what NOT to do, and some advice that’ll hopefully make your experience easier.

Freshman Year:

Oh jeez. Where do I begin? For starters, make sure that you don’t get any haircuts or styles that you might regret later on. Sure, it may seem like a good idea at the time, but is a buzzcut REALLY a good idea? (There’s a reason you’ll never see any picture of me from freshman year, but that’s beside the point).

Second, you have to understand that almost all of us are just starting to discover parts of who we are–we’re all as lost and confused as you are. This is the year where you discover that perhaps you don’t have as much in common as you thought with your old friends from middle school, but it’s also the year where you get to meet students from all over the district–not just Valley or Falcon–and make a ton of great new friendships. Its also the year you should start taking school seriously (if you don’t already); a strong academic foundation your freshman year makes maintaining a high class rank and GPA later on so much easier.

Third, challenge yourself; don’t be afraid to take that extra honors class, just make sure that you take a workload that’s right for YOU, so you won’t feel overwhelmed later on.

Most of all, enjoy yourself, relax. In this awkward first year of high school, none of us know what we’re doing, and frankly that’s the fun part. It’s where you begin to discover who you really are, even if you can’t see it. Join choir, band, dance–any extracurricular activity that helps express your creativity. It not only helps you be yourself, but the people you meet in them more often than not can become some of your best friends.

Oh, and make sure to take a language; colleges LOVE languages, and frankly, I think it’s pretty cool to be able to communicate with millions of people throughout the word just by learning a couple new phrases. Parlez-vous Francais? ¿Hablas Espanol?

Sophomore Year:

Now here’s where it starts to get interesting. By this point, most of us aren’t four feet tall anymore and we actually start looking like high schoolers, which means the beginning of a certain unfortunate aspect of high school: rumors. Not something I dealt with myself personally, but I heard quite my own share of it such as “____ likes ____” “_____ cheated on _____” and certain other things the school would never let me publish. Although it can be hard to ignore, it’s best to avoid gossiping about those kind of things, because they really can affect your fellow classmates more than you’d think, especially once you see them crying in the middle of class as a result of it.

On a lighter note, this is the year some of you guys start getting your licenses, hooray! The road becomes filled with even more bad drivers! (But seriously though, drive responsibly). A license usually marks the beginning of greater liberty; it becomes easier to make plans with your friends, attend programs, and participate in sports without having to wait for your mom or dad to pick you up.

This is also the year where an AP class becomes available to most students: Advanced Placement United States History, also known as APUSH. A lot of students become shocked at the amount of work required for the course, especially the reading aspect of it. However, this serves as a wakeup call, and is great preparation for further work intensive classes in the future. Oh and good luck on that “We Didn’t Start the Fire” music video project. I hated it. But then again, I procrastinated the hell out of it, so maybe uh, DON’T do that (procrastinate).

Overall, sophomore year is what I would consider when you start feeling like a “true” high school student; just remember, have fun, but not too much.

Junior Year:

Considered by many (me included) to be the most stressful year of high school, it’s also the year where you experience a lot of firsts, like your first prom, your first ACT test, your first year as captain of a sports team or club. It’s stressful, yes, but it’s also when you start seeing all your hard work from sophomore and freshman year pay off.

The classes you took as an underclassman helped prepare you for the intense workload, your friends provide a sturdy support system, and overall you just feel like you’re a part of the community. It’s when you realize that you’re not just another high school student: you’re an Eagle, and you’re proud to show it. Its also when college starts creeping on you faster than you’d think. Start touring colleges! Apply for scholarships! Do your best to help yourself stand out amongst your peers! You’ll still have some time left, but do stop to consider what you really want to do.

Some of us have known that we wanted to be doctors, astronauts, or teachers since we were younger, but a lot of us just simply have no clue. Think about it, but don’t stress too much about it. Junior year is already stressful enough, so remember to breathe, but also grind on those AP Euro readings. (Remembering the dates of when stuff happened is really important, and don’t mix up the King Charleses!).

Senior Year:

You’re almost there! Hang in there, you can do it! Although it may just seem like a myth, the senior slide is allllll tooooooo reaaaalllllll. I’ve been suffering from a severe case of senioritis for months now; thankfully, its only known cure is quickly coming up: graduation.

Known as the year of many lasts, (your last homecoming, football games, plays, JAGs, Danceworks, Broadway’s & prom) it’s also the year of many firsts: your first college acceptance letter, your first scholarships, meeting your first college roommate, and for many of us, our 18th birthday, meaning we have to start being a little more responsible with our actions. (A bit of senior advice: NEVER go to the casino. Trust me.).

You’ll be dying to graduate, but  you’ll also be dreading it. It is the last time you’ll ever get to see a lot of the people in your class again, many of your friends will move away to different colleges, and you’ll find yourself missing so many familiar faces everyday. You won’t find yourself missing the homework and waking up early, though. (I mean, I sure won’t).

Overall, it’s crazy to think this is the very last year you’ll spend with a lot of the people we’ve known our whole lives; luckily, we’ll get to see some of us become remarkable men and women in the future.

On that note, we aren’t our parent’s little boys and girls anymore, so it can be hard for them to let go of that sometimes. Let them baby you, they only want the best for you, after all; in a sense, their year is also full of “senior lasts.”

Final Thoughts:

Your actions define who you are. Regardless of what others may think, who you are as a person is the only thing that truly matters in the end, and nobody’s opinion about you is as important as your own. Be kind to yourself.

Find your people. Surround yourself with friends who accept you and like you for who you are and stick with them. Don’t try and change yourself to impress others because it’s simply not worth it. Don’t stress about people who may or may not like you, and don’t let others bring you down. Most of all, cherish the moments you have left with them–there won’t be many left. Fortunately, for me, some of my best friends are going to the U with me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

My time at Apple Valley High School has been remarkable. Although there may have been some bumps along the road, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The journey I’ve taken roaming the halls of the school for the past three years has lead me to discover things I never would’ve guessed about myself and has taught me valuable lifelong lessons. I can safely say that every teacher I’ve encountered here genuinely wants their students to succeed, and are willing to go the extra mile to help them achieve it. AVHS teachers, it has been an honor to have learned from people like you. Thanks for believing in me!

Good luck classes of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and future classes to come! And so, with a heavy heart, let my final words on this website be:

Believe in yourselves. I believe in you!

– Ivan Calixto