As the school year wraps up, the halls of Skyline will soon be filled with bittersweet farewells for the class of ‘23. The Senior class would like to provide some insight and lessons they learned that helped them thrive during this exhilarating chapter in their lives.

To the underclassmen, start getting more involved at school with different clubs, sports and activities.

“I would go to as many events as I possibly could,” says Senior Pippi Huang, “I’ve never regretted going to a game or event, but I have regretted missing them.”

But also don’t forget about your school work.  Camila Cardeñas said, “I would focus on my homework more and branch out more to meet new people throughout the years.”

Although it may feel like the school year drags on, in a blink of an eye the class of ‘23 is already graduating, and you will be too.

“I wish I knew how fast the year would go and to enjoy the time I had left,” says Senior, TJ Crandall.

It’s important to do things for yourself and find your own passions, don’t be too worried about life around you. This is your time to figure out a lot of things for yourself.

“High school goes by faster than you think, especially Junior and Senior Year,” says Catalina Darnell. “Also, don’t worry so much about what others are doing, focus on yourself always.”

From no school for two weeks in March 2019, to asynchronous learning, to restricted in person school, our senior class has gone through a lot. We were faced with numerous challenges where we had to learn how to adapt.

Dina Stitou says “online learning was really good for my mental health.” Stitou acknowledged the contrasting reality others faced during this time, saying “unfortunately it was the opposite for most people.”

Darnell mentioned “The first month when Covid hit and everyone was quarantined, the freedom of not worrying about school as much was very memorable.”

But that wasn’t to say there was the option to slack off for freshman and sophomore year.

“I wish I knew to take my classes seriously” explains Senior Melanie Chen, “every year following freshman year will just build off of that content.”

Even with all the highs and lows, we realized the importance of keeping our grades up as we moved through all four years. It’s okay to ask for help, and one resource that was beneficial during these transitions was counselors. 

“I would utilize my counselors more because they’re a very good resource,” says Crandall. It’s recommended to get to know your counselors and build relationships with them as early as Freshman year.

Although the majority of seniors are taught to believe that junior year is the most rigorous year, JT Weir explained that your grades matter as a freshman and senior just as much as every other year. We encourage all underclassmen to prioritize their academics while also finding a balance that allows for personal growth and memorable experiences.

Chen explains how she was expecting senior year to be much easier than it was, saying “I had heard from many people that it was considered an easy year compared to junior year and it doesn’t require much work.” Incoming Seniors should prepare themselves in advance for college applications and IB testing, this is the final step before the rest of your independent life.  

Skyline is known for creating a high pressure environment and we want you to know that you as a person are not defined by a letter. Recognize the toll that stress takes on you and take time for yourself, we are proud of you no matter what. 

“I think Skyline is a very high stress school so mental health is a huge thing within this school specifically,” says Senior Carli Grant.

Lastly and most importantly, our class especially has struggled with the death of multiple people we have loved during our freshman and senior years. This is something we hope no future students have to experience.

“I would like Skyline to talk more about mental health and suicide awareness because we have lost student body to these issues,” says Grant.

In reflection we want to recognize the importance of mental health and encourage the rest of Skyline to do the same. Take care of yourself please, you matter.

This class of ‘23 reflection serves as a reminder to embrace opportunities, find a balance, and take care of yourself. The lessons we Spartans learned will go on to shape our future endeavors and inspire those who will follow in our footsteps.