As a new school year continues to approach, many seniors will be entering a new chapter of their lives, while underclassmen will be starting a new year at Riverbend. With seniors finishing their last year of highschool, many of them have learned a thing or two after completing their four years. Some of these seniors reflected back on their high school career and shared all that they have learned and advice to underclassmen as they continue their years at Riverbend.

“I wish I would have known that freshman year is just as important as any other grade in high school,” said senior Erin Moulton. Sometimes freshman year can come as a shock to many students with a greater amount of responsibility and work. It seems that many seniors, during their first year of highschool, regret not taking freshman year seriously enough. Choices made during freshman year can impact a student’s future and the amount of effort put forth during their last years of high school. 

“Take advantage of little grade boosters, like retakes and extra credit,” said Moulton. “It adds up and can boost your GPA immensely.” Small advantages like these can greatly benefit a student’s grades, especially as a freshman. 

Senior Jack Scrivani recommends Mr. Reighard’s AP United States History class to underclassmen. “The class is very interesting and you can tell that Mr. Reighard enjoys teaching the subject,” says Scrivani. Many of the teachers, especially those who teach AP classes, are extremely passionate about their subject and make the classes enjoyable for their students. Not only do the teachers at Riverbend make AP classes exciting, but students are able to earn college credit to save time and money in college.

“DECA, the activities and competitions are some of the best memories I’ve made in high school,” said Moulton. “The advisors are very caring and want the best for every student that joins.” There are many clubs to get involved in at Riverbend including DECA, FBLA, and YoungLife. These clubs help future applications, but most importantly, getting involved in clubs allows for students to meet new friends who share similar interests and passions. Forming these relationships and becoming involved in clubs makes high school gratifying. 

When asked about any advice he has to offer, Scrivani said, “Take it easy and just go with the flow. Don’t let the workload consume you and just stay on top of it.” This is one of the most important rules to live by, especially in high school. Learning to balance the work load and social relationships in high school can be difficult, but it helps for a rewarding and enjoyable high school career.