As the school year winds down and seniors approach graduation, we look back at all of our time spent at FDR, all the memories made, and all the lessons learned. We have all grown and changed a lot in the last four years. I wanted to offer some advice for underclassmen Cougar and high schoolers in general as I feel that I, and the people around me, have learned quite a bit.

Starting off with the cliche that, “high school flies by so fast.” I’ve heard this phrase countless times and always kind of just brushed it off. However, people really were not lying when they said that it goes by fast. My first piece of advice would be to enjoy every moment of it. The good, the bad, and the in between. High school is the time in your life where you start becoming the person you want to be and start preparing for the real world. It is important to surround yourself with people that make you happy and will support you through thick and thin. If you don’t, the whole experience will not be very enjoyable. Another piece of advice is to get involved! Get involved with any and all school activities, because they are what make your high school experience so special and memorable. Those school dances you may think you are “too cool” for, may end up being a really fun night full of memories with your friends. You don’t want to look back and regret not enjoying your teen years. Lastly, one of the most important things to remember is to stay true to yourself. Don’t let people’s negativity bring you down. You are meant to be your own person and have your own path, not to follow in the shadow of someone else’s life.

The high school experience is different for everyone, so make sure to make your experience your own. Enjoy it while it lasts because it does not last forever. Yes, it may seem tiresome some days, but overall, these 4 years of your life will be ones you will not forget- so make them count Cougars!