Now that days of lounging by a pool or sitting on the beach and laughing with friends have come to a close, the Editors-in-Chief would like to offer a bit of advice.

Freshmen, welcome to the Upper School! Don’t worry if classes or older students seem daunting. Take time to meet people and enjoy your classes. Support your peers by attending plays, art shows, concerts, sports games, and coffeehouses. It might surprise you how much talent you are surrounded by.

Ask for help if you feel lost. Whether you are unsure of how to balance your schedule, or don’t know your way around campus, there are countless people eager and willing to assist you every step of the way.

Speak to peer and teacher advisors, a teacher or friend that you trust, or Dr. Sadler, whose office is by the modern language office. Your peer advisors are there for a reason – we promise they don’t bite! Whether you want to know what’s in dress code or how to study for your first French test, they are always just a call away!

Practice mindfulness. is doesn’t necessarily mean going to yoga classes or meditation; all it requires is that you listen to your body. Eat well, manage your time, and most importantly, sleep!

Don’t get too caught up in technology. The new iPads are exciting and will probably cut the weight of your bag in half, but look up from the screen every so often and take part in face to face human contact.

We recommend allotting yourself time every day to put your screens down. Try to make it more than a couple of minutes – go outside, read a book, or play with your siblings/pet.

Sophomores, the transition between freshman and sopho- more year can be a little difficult, but don’t fret. Even if freshman year wasn’t your best, it’s not too late to change things and put your best foot forward.

Juniors, don’t let the fear of college applications govern your life. Remember to take deep breaths. Between AP exams in May and the SATs or ACTs, there’s a lot to worry about. But don’t forget to just relax and kick back with your friends once in awhile. Grab lunch with a friend, or go out for a quick run – you’ll come back recharged and ready for any challenge that comes your way!

Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone, whether that be talking to someone new or attending a school event that you might have previously have shied away from. Join new clubs, or participate in community service activities.

Ask people to share their stories. Chances are the person who sits next to you in math class or who you share a common free with is really interesting.

Support one another. Senior year is a wild ride – from acceptances to rejections, there are so many emotions running through the halls. Be there for one another through it all. Attend one another’s Chapel Talks, or go watch the fall play – everything counts!

Take advantage of Hackley and all it has to offer. But also take time to remove yourself from the Hackley bubble and experience the world around you. We are fortunate enough to be a part of this community. So many resources are available to us that others a mere few miles away or on a different continent do not have access to.

We often allow ourselves to get wrapped up in academia, but there is so much to the world besides getting good grades and lling a resume. You will be hard pressed to find a high school lunch room that serves avocado toast (even if it was only for one day).