Before stepping foot at Cal High, many incoming freshmen were unaware of the thrills and horrors that fill the beloved halls they would call home for the next four years.
Some sought advice from upperclassmen, but let’s be honest. Asking for good advice from a teenager is like asking a second grader how to file your taxes.
Something students picked up quite early was the habit of having words pass in one ear and then slip out the other. But as the years progressed, it’s safe to say that there were some teachers and some words of wisdom that students couldn’t let escape their ears.
AP Psychology and iQuest teacher Sarah Eddings provided great insight not only about the world of psychology but life as well.
“I would say one of the best strategies I know of for college students is to block off time in their day to get work done before they go home,” Eddings said.
Eddings also recommends that high school students and incoming college students sleep as much as possible and try to maintain a normal sleep schedule.
AP Literature and Composition was a rude awakening for senioritis-stricken students this year (us). But AP Lit teacher Virginia Clark reinforced the saying “Yes, Let’s” in her classes to encourage students to push through each unit and delightful essay.
The saying came from a theater program in which Clark participated. It was a game students were taught as part of an improv warm up. When Clark says, “Yes, let’s,” it indicates that students are going to start something new.
“I adapted it to meet the needs of my classroom,” Clark said. “I just use it to encourage people to have a positive attitude and be willing to try new things.”
For incoming freshmen, Clark recommends reaching out to teachers and not being afraid to ask for help, especially if they’re struggling in their classes or on campus with other issues.
“Make sure you get organized early,” Clark said. “Remember that there’s lots of adults on campus who want to help you and want to support you for your success.”
Cal teacher Namita Vakil, who teaches AP Calculus AB as well as BC, shares a similar sentiment.
She also emphasizes the importance of leading with ethics for seniors who are just about to graduate.
She said that she really likes to see a person who initially came into her class struggling, put in an effort to become a stronger student.
“I’ve always tried to focus on a person as a whole,” Vakil said. “Frankly, the grades that my students hold mean less to me than actually the people they become.”
Now that some of her students are graduating, Vakil feels very special to have been with some of them.
“I feel like I know them very well,” Vakil said. “I’m very proud of all my students, especially those that I’ve seen for three years.”
Social studies teacher Chris Doherty believes that the process of getting to know students and saying good-bye to them as they get ready to leave Cal High for the new stage of their lives is cyclical.
For graduating students, Doherty advises them to master the balance between having fun and studying.
Doherty also holds a sentiment for students he had in class for the past three years.
“It’s expected, [it’s] part of being a teacher, you grow closer to some more than others,” Doherty said.
