By: Jomana Elsays
For many of us, a new school year can mean a new chance at a fresh start. It’s a time to make changes to improve our academic performance, athletic performance, and our day-to-day life. It’s can also be a chance to make your parents buy you new clothes, shoes, and school supplies.
As a senior, I can safely say that there are a lot of lessons high school has taught me, whether it’s to do with handling exam stress, managing time, or even about figuring out who I am as a person. And while it took me four years to learn plenty of these lessons, there is a lot I wish I could’ve told my Grade 9 self about what the high school experience would be like. Naturally, I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way, and so I went and asked our school’s President and Vice President, CJ Mezin and Bailee Cohen, about what they wish they could tell their Grade 9 selves.
PRESIDENT CJ MEZIN:
“Ah ahhh! What’s good grade nine CJ? You’re never going to read this, but the kid had to get some stuff off his chest.
First off, don’t ever stress about how others see you. If you conform to their ideas of who or what you should be, who’s life are you living?
Second of all, focus on what you love. Spending time on unproductive things really wastes the small amount of time you have before entering the real world. You got a knack for creating dope stuff so get of the X-Box and get to hustling!
You are young. You are smart. You are moderately handsome. Use what God gave you instead of loafing around. Don’t waste time. CREATE!
You got one hell of a future ahead of you. Please remember that. Put all other things to the side and focus on who you know you are meant to be. I know it’s easy for you to get lonely sometimes, but you have people who love you. Don’t ever forget that.”
VICE PRESIDENT BAILEE COHEN:
“When I came to FHCI in Grade 9, I was extremely worried about making new friends and adjusting to the faster pace of learning since it was a semester school.
I easily got stressed about tests, but overtime I learned that worrying so much makes everything else even harder to do! I know understand that all I can do is just work my hardest, give my best effort, and not worry about things I can’t fix!
High School surely can be a stressful time in many different ways, but it’s still important to have a good time no matter what!”
As you can see, many of us wish that we could go back in time and teach our Grade 9 selves what we now know. However, since this is not possible, the best we can do as Seniors is help out the younger grades, as we wish someone would have helped us when we needed it. By assisting the younger grades with their transition into Forest Hill, maybe they will have less regrets than we do, and be able to make the most out of their high school experience.