Every spring season, seniors push open the doors of Northern Valley Demarest, walking out for the last time as high school students. These are the students who have survived the late-night study sessions, preseason practices, schedule changes, and the busy stairs between the gym and cafeteria… for three years straight. If anyone has earned the right to give advice, it’s them. In part one of this two-part series, NVD’s freshmen posed their biggest worries. Now, the Class of 2026, preparing to walk out of NVD for the final time, responds.
Freshmen wondered how to best navigate the spike of rigor from eighth to ninth grade, including the increase in assignments, heavier workloads, and higher expectations. They were specifically curious about how to balance it all, without allowing their social life and friendships to suffer. Senior Ellice Choi shares what she found most helpful.
“Time management is everything,” Choi said. “If you are drowning in homework while attempting to balance your social life, I recommend creating a system or a schedule for yourself. Divide your workload realistically and schedule ‘free’ times designated to spend with friends.”
In addition to questions about social and schoolwork balance, freshmen athletes were quick to ask how to best manage their after school time between extracurriculars, specifically sports, with their studies.
“I play football and wrestle, so my schedule is pretty busy,” senior Marco Suarez said. “Communicate with your teachers; they’re very understanding. Another thing is using resources like your Canvas calendar to keep track of all your tasks.”
Some freshmen are already looking far ahead toward potential majors and careers in fields ranging from business and interior design to sports medicine. One question a freshman asked was what can they do during these four years to feel best prepared for life post high school. In addition to trying your best with your school work, senior Derrick Fortgang wanted to highlight the importance of following your interests.
“If there are classes that match your interests, the best thing you can do is take them,” Fortgang said. “Check out clubs too. Joining the school’s TSA [Technology Student Association] gave me many growing opportunities and introduced me to a community of people who share the same interest for tech, and I don’t think we would have crossed paths without this club.”
Taking part in a club really is joining a community, and has so much more benefits than just looking good for college applications. In response to the most repeatedly asked question from the freshmen, whether freshmen need to have their major picked out at age 14, senior Ian Di Gregorio has a point.
“You have to find yourself first. Of course it’s okay not to know when you’re a freshman,” Di Gregorio said. “You have to allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone and try different things, because you never know, maybe you just found your true interest.”
When Choi was presented with the same freshman question regarding knowing your college major, her answer aligns with Di Gregorio.
“It’s completely okay if you don’t know yet,” Choi said.
And in a way, seniors are still in the same boat as the freshmen; just older, not necessarily more certain. The seniors’ final takeaway? No one has it all figured out – not at fourteen, and not at eighteen.
“It’s fine if you don’t know yet,” Stephanie Xie said. “I still have no idea on what I want to do.”
