By Elle Logue and Selena Gonzalez Lopez,
Editor-in-Chief and Staff Writer.
After four years of hard work and nervous excitement, the panther class of 2026 is ready to say goodbye. The memories that stay with us from high school also come with important lessons, and some advice is always helpful to younger students when navigating a formative four years.
Some of the biggest pressures as a teen are those from families: “My parents tell me to do better than them, and I hope to, but it gets overwhelming,” said senior Zenia Mir. Keeping it simple and steady is a good way to get through overwhelming times, and any goal is achievable if you set yourself to it.
Looking back at her high school years, senior Natasha Hawkins commented, “As long as you don’t procrastinate at all and you pay attention in class you’ll pass. That’s it.” Hawkins can attest that your expectations for school don’t always pan out, but as long as you keep your grades up and keep a school-life balance, you can have plenty of fun.
Senior Kailash Wood emphasizes the importance of trying new things during high school and seizing all the opportunities available to you. “Do you want to learn how to act, sing, or dance? People will teach you. Maybe you’re interested in welding or in cars or in chemistry or anything else; there’s classes and clubs for literally all of this stuff.” Wood relates to how expanding your horizons can be scary, especially when you’re younger, but in his experience the SRHS community is very welcoming to newcomers. So get out there and try something new; “It’s endlessly worth it.”
“Time does go faster the older you get,” said senior Jacky Guizar. It’s a hard lesson that many of the graduates are facing. By the time you’re a senior, the beginning of freshman year will feel like it happened yesterday. The important thing is to take advantage of your time in high school before it’s gone.
So how do you take advantage of these four short years? Senior and prom queen nominee Alexa Bannister said, “try to join as many things as you can, especially sports and clubs because that’s really where you make the most friends and where you really connect within the school.” Bannister also advocated for participating in school spirit. Engaging and getting involved is a phenomenal way to ensure a high school experience worth remembering.
So to fellow Panthers still looking to get the most out of high school, listen closely to the advice of those who walked before you. Take their wisdom and trust in yourself so you can make the most of your time, your friends and your education.
