Dear Devil’s Advocate,

You have been so helpful these past two years as I’ve ventured through high school. Because of you, I am now on track to run Mahjong Club next year, I know where to go for cheap eats, and my mom loves the slippers you recommended I give over the holidays. What are your final words of wisdom as you depart senior year?

Sincerely,

Desperate Devil

Dear Desperate Devil,

We wrote our very first columns to Secretive Senior in the chaos of the Blue Devil Deli (RIP) as stressed, naive juniors. Now, two years of high school and many columns later, we’re signing off. But don’t worry, we’re not leaving you without advice. Instead, we have some words for each grade as you prepare to move up into the next section of Chapel and the next stage of your high school careers.

Future Freshmen: This is your time to experiment. You have four years ahead of you, so now is the time to see what will interest you for the rest of high school. Whether it’s taking classes in subjects you’ve never explored, joining clubs you’ve always been interested in, or talking to the new kid on your bus, reach outside of your comfort zone. We promise it’ll be worth it. This year is your foundation for the rest of high school, so make it count. 

Future Sophomores: Begin to hone in on a couple of interests. Take the foundation you built during freshman year and decide what you’re really passionate about. Don’t just choose what you think will look best on a college application. If you’re worried about the college process (which you should not be at this point), know that passion will be the most compelling element of a robust application, much more than what you think you “should” be doing. As freshmen, you shaped your skeleton, so now begin to fill in some gaps, deepen your commitment to your studies, friendships, and hobbies, and begin to figure out what is meaningful to you.

Future Juniors: We’re aware that everyone says this is the most important year of high school, and they may be right. Your classes will be more demanding than ever, and you’ll have to juggle them with a full day of extracurriculars, not to mention the beginnings of the college process. But don’t let the overwhelming feeling of junior year turn you against your peers. When we’re stressed out, it can be easy to start to resent our classmates or even to compete with them. We’ve learned, though, that the only way to survive junior year is to collaborate, not compete. Help each other out with problem sets, read over each other’s essays, and study for assessments side by side. Most importantly, put the work aside for a while and connect as people, whether that’s talking about your weekends or taking a break in the quad. Junior year isn’t only the “most important” year because of academics; it’s also a time when you can make memories with your friends that will last a lifetime.

Future Seniors: Your time has come. Enjoy it.

We’ll miss writing our monthly columns (almost as much as we’re sure you’ll miss reading them). But you definitely won’t be at a loss for good advice next year. Your deans, teachers, and friends are always ready to advise you, with the added benefit of knowing exactly who you are and what you’re facing instead of talking to you through a pseudonym. And every writer of the Polygon is always ready to talk to you about the issues you face and write stories that will bring them to the community’s attention. We know next year will feel like hell without our advice, but reach out to your community, and they’ll make your high school experience feel like heaven.

Signing off,

The Devil’s Advocate