Dear Freshmen,

Congratulations on making it through your first quarter of high school! You should be proud of yourself. It's not always easy to make the transition from the sheltered halls of middle school to the vast expanse of high school, so props to you.

I am writing this letter to give you some advice. As a senior, I have learned a lot over the past three plus years, and I feel that it is my duty to impart some of the wisdom I have gained. Most of what I have to tell you is unsolicited, I know, but I hope you can take some of this advice to heart and rise above the challenges you will face in the years to come. So, without further ado, here are three pieces of advice I have for freshmen.

1. Listen to your "little voice".

Every person has a "little voice", whether you know it as your conscience, your guardian angel, your heart, or what have you. The truth is, this voice doesn't speak up often, but when it does, listen to it! If something inside you doesn't feel quite right in a certain situation, don't force yourself to stick it out. On the other hand, if your heart delights in a new activity, person, or place, don't ignore it. Listening to your "little voice" will help you stay out of poisonous situations and allow you to discover your passions and goals. Your conscience knows better than you do, and it will never steer you wrong. Stay true to your feelings and morals and don't ignore the signs!

2. Challenge yourself.

It can be scary to try new things and meet new people in a brand new place. However, as time goes on, it's important to challenge yourself as you go through high school. Try an AP class, a sport, a weird club, or talk to a person you would normally never think of reaching out to. Some of these things may not be for you, but in the end, you will look back on all of these experiences and smile. Not only that, but high school can be hard. Balancing friendships, relationships, schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and a job can be a daunting task. But, if you challenge yourself in a healthy way, you will see just how much you can accomplish.

3. Don't sweat the small stuff.

So, your friend doesn't text you back for three days, or maybe you got a D on a Trigonometry test. At the time, it can feel like your life is in shambles. Storm clouds always appear worse when you are standing beneath them. Don't freak out, at least not too much. Looking back, the test scores I cried over and the awkward "drama" I allowed to infiltrate my life doesn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20. But really, everything will turn out fine. Don't worry too much about things you can't change.

With all that said, don't be afraid to make mistakes and do things your own way. How else will you have any advice to offer when you are a senior yourself? I wish you all the best in your upcoming years of high school, and I know you will do amazing things.

Sincerely,

A Loving Senior