The time has come, my friends. As the class of 2015 ventures off to carry out their various post high school endeavors, juniors rise to take their place and this year’s underclassmen move up another level in the definitive rankings of seniority. But what wisdom does this senior class have to impart on its successors? There are five key pieces of advice I would extend to my fellow students as they climb the proverbial ladder of academic success.

 

  1. Take advantage of the classes that are offered here at Grants Pass. Take AP. Take Honors. I went to a private high school for freshman and sophomore year, and a lot of you don’t know how lucky you are to have such a diverse selection of classes. Take advantage of them! Not only do you become more educated and hard-working by taking advanced classes, but the relationships that you are able to build with teachers are invaluable. When you are working hard and being pushed to your absolute best, you’re guaranteed to get everything you can out of a class.

  2. Love where you live. Yes, it’s Grants Pass. It’s a small town with a small town mentality, and you don’t have to love that. However, you live in Southern Oregon, and that’s pretty rad. Not many are surrounded by mountains and forests and trails the way we all are. Enjoy what you know, and explore what you don’t. If you’re attuned to your surroundings, you will not only be a more successful student but will be more connected to the world and the people around you.

  3. Seek out opportunities -- academic and otherwise. Good things come to those who wait, but even better things come to those who go after what they want. If there’s a class or subject you’re interested in that isn’t offered at GPHS, you can usually work something out. If you desperately want to take a class but can’t find a place for it in your schedule -- talk to the teacher! They are almost always willing to help out students who genuinely want to learn. Many teachers will jump through hoops for dedicated students, but you have to let them know.

  4. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS. Forgive the shouting, but this is so important to me. The relationships that I have established with some of my teachers are amazing -- there are a lot of incredible people that work here at GP. Get to know them. Not only will this be valuable when it comes to asking for letters of recommendation and assorted other favors, but you get to be friends with someone who genuinely cares about you and your education. As an added bonus, these teachers are usually experts in what they teach so if you’re struggling, they’re always willing to help; if you’re really interested in a certain subject, you also get to talk to someone who’s passionate about it. It’s a win-win. On a related note: the Career Center is SO. IMPORTANT. They want to help you succeed, but there are so many students. You have to let them know who you are and what you want, otherwise their attempt to help you is futile!

  5. Make these years count. I don’t think that twenty years from now, I’ll look back and say that high school was the best time of my life. That’s just my experience -- I’ve enjoyed high school, but I don’t expect it to be the prime of my life. However, working hard in high school and taking advantage of resources and opportunities is what got me to where I am today and is one of the major components of what is going to make my future successful.  It’s absolutely idiotic not to work hard in high school; these years are honestly going to be what shapes your future, so... make them count.