During the past four years, the class of 2021 has accumulated plenty of wisdom that can serve as valuable advice for underclassmen. Compiled below is a list of the top five pieces of advice that graduating seniors wanted to share.

1. Take advantage of the online resources available to you. 

Many seniors cited some online resources as “life-saving” or reported that they heavily relied on them for specific challenging courses. The most commonly mentioned websites were Quizlet, Khan Academy, SparkNotes, and Slader. Seniors explained that they often shared their Quizlets, which helped them build better relationships with their peers along with improving their grades. 

“Quizlet. Everyone is struggling and it’s just a good way to prep yourself and help others out, and more often than not you get friends out of it or they at least return the favor,” senior Sydney Spencer said.

Seniors mentioned many YouTube channels that aided them with specific subjects. Frequently recommended channels included Adam Norris for the AP United States History course, Crash Course for humanities courses, and Organic Chemistry Tutor for STEM classes. Students also cited lesser-known channels that they came across during their studies.

“I think everyone knows of Quizlet and the various study websites. But in terms of Youtube channels, I highly recommend Ali Abdaal, Nathaniel Drew, and Matt D’Avella,” senior Arne Noori said.

2. Plan and organize to help reduce stress and manage your time better.

The majority of seniors stressed the importance of using schedules and improving organizational skills. Many used to-do lists and Google Calendar to keep track of their assignments and tests. Others made schedules dedicating certain days to study specific subjects. 

“Over the years, my system has become somewhat intricate. I use a mix of Google Calendar, Things 3, and Notes,” Noori said in a text interview. “Google Calendar = meetings with someone, scheduling class time. Things 3 = basic to-do list application, Notes = basic life management with just random ideas I get and just a basic dump of everything.”

Many seniors also recommended finding strategies to avoid procrastinating. Senior Nikki Dastmalchi explained a tactic that helped her stay focused and prevent procrastination.

“I have found that past one hour of studying, I tend to get unfocused and slow. I like setting one hour timers for studying with 15-minute breaks in between,” Dastmalchi said. “This is especially helpful for a class where I have a lot of reading to do, like AP Bio.”

3. Participate in extracurricular activities.

The seniors explained how getting involved helped them find communities that changed their high school experience for the better. Joining clubs and programs, such as Junior Classical League, Univision, and class council, allowed many seniors to get out of their comfort zones and build deeper bonds with their peers. 

“From filming pep rallies to pulling all-nighters to put together episodes, [Univision has] definitely been a unique experience and I’m so grateful for the amazing friends and memories I’ve made,” senior Annika Thim said. “You don’t have to come in being super skilled at anything related to film, just with a positive attitude ready to learn and work with others.”

Many seniors also found participating in sports to be a highly rewarding experience. Sports were said to help with stress management and socializing.

“The most memorable extracurricular at UHS for me would have to be joining the cross country and track teams,” senior Liam Matthew said. “Which I would strongly recommend to everyone because it is such a fun sport and environment.”

4. When it comes to college applications, start early and do your research.

Seniors recommended becoming familiar with the application process starting during the second semester of junior year or the summer going into senior year. This extra time allowed them to develop their applications and get more acquainted with what they were looking for in a college.

“Just start thinking about what you’d want to write about for essays, maybe what you want to major in, and what schools you like the most,” senior Anjali Arasasinghan said. “Also, you can always talk to teachers about the process because they know a lot too. I’d also say to watch a bunch of YouTube videos about prospective colleges because it helps to narrow down where you wanna go.”

Seniors also advised keeping an open mind throughout the process, doing in-depth research on schools before applying, and having a good range of safety, target, and reach schools. 

“Stats are important but do your research about what your school is looking for. Have a solid list of schools, don’t limit yourself to only safety or target schools or only public schools,” senior Kristina Yan said. “If you think a private school is out of budget range for you, still apply because you don’t know how much aid or scholarship money you might get.”

5. High school goes by quickly, so have fun, build friendships, and don’t limit yourself.

Many seniors regretted letting the fear of failure dictate their decisions, as it made them miss many opportunities throughout high school, and emphasized that lowerclassmen should try not to make the same mistake.

“Don’t be scared to try everything you can. The worst that happens is you find out you don’t like a certain extracurricular and you get to meet new people,” senior Ria Shriv said. 

Although many regret not getting more involved or not challenging themselves, they also noted the importance of not overworking yourself during a time you are supposed to appreciate.

“Take time to enjoy high school. This is the last time in your life you will have not as many responsibilities and will still live with your parents,” senior Amerdeep Passananti said. “There is no need to constantly worry about the future. I’m guessing you’re trying to get into a good college to be happy, right? Well, make sure that you’re happy in high school too.”