Congratulations Class of 2018! This time next year, you’ll be graduating from AHS and taking the next step in your life. As one who is graduating fairly soon, I have tips for you that will hopefully help you have a successful senior year. Without further adieu, I am here to present the Top 10 Tips for Incoming Seniors.

1. Don’t fall victim to senioritis. It’s so easy to slack off your senior year because you’re already imagining walking across that stage but, it’s best to stay on top of your school work and activities. Your GPA is still changing and if your grades change too drastically, it could drop. So don’t be a slacker. At least until the end of the year. Then slack off all you want.

2. Make new friends! It may seem pointless to talk to new people your senior year, but I disagree. I’ve met a lot of people this year, and many have impacted my life for the better. There’s no harm in talking to people you’ve always wanted to, it’s your senior year after all!

3. Start making plans early. As far as applying for colleges, the military, or work, this is definitely the time to start thinking about that. The earlier you sort out your road map for after high school, the better. Resources like the counselors and the Go Center are actually pretty useful, so use them.

4. Detach yourself from negativity. In all honesty, lots of things change senior year. You’ll lose friends and make new ones. It’s best to leave high school and have as few regrets as possible. If there is a person who is making you feel horrible about yourself, you don’t need them in your life. Love yourself and surround yourself with people who will love and support you like you deserve.

5. Know your workload. Senior year is incredibly stressful by itself, so you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. Know what you can handle. If you can take eight AP courses, be the captain of the softball team, run the student council, and juggle 15 pins at the same time, then that’s great; but be wary, because senior year is one wild ride.

6. Start saving! Senior year is expensive. Like, ridiculously expensive. Between graduation, prom and college visits, by the end of the year your bank account balance will equate to a ball of lint and a disappointed shaking of the head. Please please PLEASE start saving your money now! Get a job, mow some lawns, babysit some kids, just save as much as you can between now and the beginning of next year. You’ll thank me later. Or maybe not. Just please save your money!

7. Prom! Prom is exciting and definitely a once in a lifetime event, but it can also be really stressful. If you are planning on going to prom, start planning early. Start buying your dresses and tuxes at the beginning of the 2nd semester, because they tend to get very expensive around prom. That person who you’re with at the beginning of the school year, you may not be with around prom. Have a group of friends you can go with just in case. Get transportation figured out; limos and party buses are very expensive, so start looking early. Prom is a very special night, but it can be chaotic.

8. Take things one step at a time. Senior year is a lot to handle, and I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but it’s definitely not your easiest year of high school. From freshmen year, it all goes downhill from there. Spread out the things you need to do and give yourself plenty of time to get it done. Senior year is hard, but it’s only hair-pulling-out-level if you make it.

9. Take care of yourself! This definitely applies to every school year and every year from here to infinity, but please stay healthy. Don’t start skipping meals, and keep yourself hydrated. Most importantly, PLEASE sleep! It is so hard to get through this stressful a year without getting any rest. It’s a bit of a hypocritical statement coming from me, since I have a good day when I get more than four hours, nonetheless, get all the rest. It’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves when we’re consumed by so much stress, but make it a priority. You’re mental and physical health is most important of all.

10. Enjoy this year. I know you may be in a hurry to graduate and start your life of adulthood, I completely understand, but cherish your senior year. Cherish your friends, who you may not see as much after graduation. Cherish your family, because they have watched you grow into the amazing being you are today. Cherish this school, because it may be not be your favorite place in the world, but it did help you grow just a little bit.

Have an amazing senior year!!