by Laura Schmidt-Hong

1. For Freshmen:

“You have to stay strong and tough it out. Even if it’s terrible now, it’s going to be okay, and next year is going to get better.” — sophomore Arianna Azadzoi

“Join a club, make friends you can trust, and take electives you will enjoy.” — sophomore Michael Bickford

“My biggest piece of advice is to use X-block to meet with teachers if you don’t understand something. Teachers are always on your side and are there to help you do well, especially if you’ve shown that doing well in their class is important to you. My second piece of advice is to get involved. The easiest ways to do that are to try a new activity, club, or class, or to look further into an activity or subject that you’ve enjoyed in the past.” — sophomore Lauren Gobler

“Make sure you pay attention in class.” — sophomore Tara Eldredge

2. For Sophomores:

“Make sure you stay on top of the work that matters the most. There are a few big projects in sophomore year, so staying on top of them is important.” — junior Kyle Bloom

“You can still try new things like clubs, sports, and arts. It’s definitely not too late.”  — junior Jessica Chen

“Good luck. It’s not as bad as you think.” — junior Sarah Chen

3. For Juniors:

“Don’t procrastinate, and do what you feel is right.” — senior Rebecca Bianchi

“Just don’t listen to what others say about how hard it is. Focus on what you’re doing in the moment.” — senior Kim Lannery

“Stay organized because it can get stressful.” — senior Sayawni Lassiter

“It’s only one year, so just plow through it. You’ll get through it, and you’ll do fine.” — senior Rachel Leighton

“I’d definitely say plan out your time well; assignments can really sneak up on you. And the junior thesis isn’t really a big deal.” — senior Lincoln Sung

4. For Seniors:

“Let yourself be comfortable in your own skin. Rather than living in fear of judgement and stepping in the wrong way, live up to your flaws and own them. The world is your stomping ground, so make the most of it.” — Katherine Gao ‘16

“Leave North a better place than you found it. Whether you change the greater North community or a more nuanced aspect of it, I urge you to make an effort to make a positive change in this school, or in any community you are a part of, for its future members.” — Nadav Konforty ‘16

“I can’t stress enough the importance of living in the moment. We’re not going to be any younger than we are currently, and more and more challenges will be heading our way, but don’t let that discourage you from being adventurous.” — Sophia Ly ‘16

“Don’t waste your time hating high school; instead, take advantage of the opportunities given to you…Step out of your comfort zone and challenge the norms.” — Roxann Wint ‘16