The Class of 2026 are now in the final quarter of their high school career. As they get ready to cross the graduation stage, seniors reflect on their experience and have plenty of advice for underclassmen to navigate the next four years and create meaningful experiences.

   Senior Gul Chawla encourages students to go out and immerse themselves in social activities to help elevate their high school experience.

   “I wish I went to more school events, like the homecoming parade or like, more football games. I feel like I would have had more fun if I went out more,” Chawla said.

   Senior Jess Bowlos also emphasizes the need for building community, with classmates and teachers alike.

“I wish I did more social activities and being friends with more people in my classes, like I wish I did more talking in my classes and being more active with my teachers,” Bowlos said.

   These experiences reveal that a crucial part of progressing in school is stepping out of your comfort zone and socializing with your class. When dealing with friendships, Chawla and Bowlos offer guidance on how to navigate friend groups.  Chawla reveals that friends are more quality over quantity. If time is spent with genuine friends rather than a big disconnected group, true friendships will unveil.

 “You don’t need to be friends with every single person you’ve seen in your grade, you just need a few close friends, and you will be really happy,” Chawla said. “You can be friends with literally anybody, you can be friends with people across various groups, doesn’t matter.”

Bowlos shared her advice for how to handle difficult scenarios, such as a friend speaking badly about you. She advises underclassmen that people may speak poorly of your character, but it may not always be true. It’s beneficial not to let the opinions of others impact your confidence.   

   “Even though someone’s a bad friend to you and might be talking crap about you, it doesn’t mean that you did anything wrong and that literally could just be them,” Bowlos said. 

   Understandably, beginning freshman year is stressful. However, our seniors have some insight on what underclassmen should stop worrying about. 

“I feel like underclassmen are always trying to be cool and acting not like themselves. I would just say be yourself and stop trying to act like a different person because it’s definitely not cool,” Bowlos said. 

While it’s easy for students to get caught up in the social hierarchy, drama, or school pressure, it’s important to realize that high school is only four years, and doesn’t hold significance over the rest of your life. Chawla believes that if you feel judged, remember that high school is only a small part of your life, and embarrassment won’t last forever. 

“Nobody cares, high school is temporary,” Chawla said.

As the Class of 2026 prepares to close this chapter, their reflections highlight a common theme: high school is what you make of it – and it goes by quickly. Whether it’s attending more events, speaking up in class, or building meaningful friendships, the choices students make each day shape their overall experience. The seniors advice serves as a reminder that stepping out of what’s comfortable, staying true to yourself, and valuing genuine connections make these four years far more memorable.