To next year's freshman representative,
Coming into the first year of high school can be scary and stressful, but lucky for you, leadership provides the perfect guidance. Although being a freshman is all about learning and finding your way, there are definitely a few things I wish that I had known coming into the position of a representative.
One of the biggest things that I would have liked to know, is that you'll have such a strong bond with your team of representatives. When the year began, I didn't have a close friendship with most of the friendship in leadership and was nervous to even talk to them. But as the months have passed, they are some of the people that I love and trust the most. You'll share more than just the same job, you share memories, experiences, successes, and failures together. I met them through the program, but have continued to connect and grow with them outside of it and for that I will always be grateful.
Another thing that I wished I would have known is that you're going to have to take a lot of initiative. There will be times were you aren't sure how to handle something so you have to be ready to think on your own. Everything doesn't always go to plan which is why it's important to be prepared for any situation and know how do act on things without needing the guidance of peers or advisors. Always help anywhere you can, and understand how to contribute to a solution, not add onto a problem.
Something I wish the freshman representatives would've understood as a whole, is that it's never too early to start preparing for events. I can't count the times that we've gotten carried away and didn't realize that deadlines were approaching quicker than we thought. There was a lot of rushing to get things done and last minute completions that could've been prevented if we had started earlier. Making plans for events ahead of time is such a big help especially for spirit weeks or big dances. The environment will be less chaotic, you'll have more time to produce quality work, and it will be a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. When things are efficiently organized it allows you to be present in the moment and have fun!
The best advice that I could possibly give is to be open to making mistakes and learning while you go. If you're ever in doubt don't be afraid to ask for help from your peers and teachers. That way you're advocating for yourself and showing effort, while also making sure you're doing your job correctly! Your freshman year will by no means be perfect, so being comfortable with errors is really important. Just be aware of the mistakes you make and improve from them, rather than dwelling on them or not changing your ways. Make sure to have fun in all that you do and enjoy the memories, it may be a cliche but it goes by so fast!
Coming into the first year of high school can be scary and stressful, but lucky for you, leadership provides the perfect guidance. Although being a freshman is all about learning and finding your way, there are definitely a few things I wish that I had known coming into the position of a representative.
One of the biggest things that I would have liked to know, is that you'll have such a strong bond with your team of representatives. When the year began, I didn't have a close friendship with most of the friendship in leadership and was nervous to even talk to them. But as the months have passed, they are some of the people that I love and trust the most. You'll share more than just the same job, you share memories, experiences, successes, and failures together. I met them through the program, but have continued to connect and grow with them outside of it and for that I will always be grateful.
Another thing that I wished I would have known is that you're going to have to take a lot of initiative. There will be times were you aren't sure how to handle something so you have to be ready to think on your own. Everything doesn't always go to plan which is why it's important to be prepared for any situation and know how do act on things without needing the guidance of peers or advisors. Always help anywhere you can, and understand how to contribute to a solution, not add onto a problem.
Something I wish the freshman representatives would've understood as a whole, is that it's never too early to start preparing for events. I can't count the times that we've gotten carried away and didn't realize that deadlines were approaching quicker than we thought. There was a lot of rushing to get things done and last minute completions that could've been prevented if we had started earlier. Making plans for events ahead of time is such a big help especially for spirit weeks or big dances. The environment will be less chaotic, you'll have more time to produce quality work, and it will be a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. When things are efficiently organized it allows you to be present in the moment and have fun!
The best advice that I could possibly give is to be open to making mistakes and learning while you go. If you're ever in doubt don't be afraid to ask for help from your peers and teachers. That way you're advocating for yourself and showing effort, while also making sure you're doing your job correctly! Your freshman year will by no means be perfect, so being comfortable with errors is really important. Just be aware of the mistakes you make and improve from them, rather than dwelling on them or not changing your ways. Make sure to have fun in all that you do and enjoy the memories, it may be a cliche but it goes by so fast!
Sincerely, Claire Morris