Crier Wants to Know: what advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Ash Chang

It’s almost time for new freshmen to join the Conant community. Given this, many may have questions about what high school is really like, what they can expect, and what they can look forward to. The Crier asked students and staff at Conant for advice. Incoming freshmen: here’s what you need to know.

Gauri Jagdev, ‘25

“Incoming freshmen need to know that staying on top of your assignments is very important. If you ever need help, there is tutoring to help you during your lunch period. Be responsible and keep up to date with your assignments in each class. Try your best and study for your quizzes/tests. Try not to stress about bad grades. Communicate with your counselor and teachers to help you in any way possible regarding your classes. And most importantly, get involved in sports and activities.”

Madeline Caban, ‘24

“From experience, I have learned that it’s important to make sure to stay on top of your work. Join a club or a sport. It’s fun and you will make friends. Go to sports games to support Conant. Remember to be yourself, and don’t change for other people. Lastly, volunteer in the community, even if you aren’t doing Harper Promise.”

James Paszternak, ‘23

“What I’d tell anyone is just push the envelope and be ambitious because it’s up to you to open doors and make opportunities. An example from my personal experience is helping out my friend, who is in the broadcast club to get footage for football games. It was something simple that we didn’t think much about. But it grew organically and helped push boundaries for the club. From just filming interviews in the crowd about their favorite cheese, we were able to get more ambitious to the point where we got sideline footage of the game, and we earned many more wonderful opportunities.”

Kaya Wzorek, ‘22

“Don’t be afraid to take completely new classes. Many students discover their passion by taking classes they never considered taking. Please be kind to your teachers. It may be difficult with teachers you don’t get along with, but literally no one likes people who are mean to teachers. The first two years of high school are extremely important to your overall GPA. Conant has an incredible amount of resources, from tutoring to talking with a counselor. Every single staff member is here to help and support you. The media center is a great area to study and get work done.”

Leann Roder-Manson, Band teacher

“Be kind to everyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Take a class you really enjoy every semester; one that gives you a reason to come to school every day. This might take some trial and error, but it will help you discover what you might want to do with the rest of your life. Do your homework when your teacher gives you time in class and don’t allow yourself to get behind. It’s way harder to catch up than to stay ahead of the game.”

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