Mother of Divine Grace high school graduation is this spring, and a few graduating seniors agreed to share bits of advice they have learned over the years. Take it from the people that have “been there, done that!”
Claire Z:
I would say that to get through junior/senior year with minor stress, anxiety, and breakdowns, you should avoid procrastination at all costs. This doesn’t mean you can’t put things off, but do it intentionally – if you decide to put something off until later, have a clear plan for when you will actually do it. My senior year was so much better than all of the other years of high school because I held myself to a high standard of intentionality with my school work, and I encourage you all to do the same!
Charlotte P:
1) Take advantage of redos. My mistake in freshman year was not taking advantages of the fact that MODG is based on mastery, and I simply accepted my lower grades when in reality, I had changes to redo them.
2) Plan things and time block! Keeping organized was such a good habit that I wished I’d learned earlier. I use planners like Notion to help keep me on track. Setting personal deadlines and goals also helped me take accountability with my work, which in turned boosted my grades up!
3) Don’t be afraid of failure. I was so stressed with trying to keep my GPA up to get into the colleges I wanted to attend that I was almost scared of submitting assignments. I would almost make myself sick with nerves!! Instead of letting the fear of failure get me, I’d send up a prayer or set an intention instead that I would offer up this assignment to Jesus, God, Mary, my personal confirmation saint, etc. That would calm my nerves and allow me to realize that grades aren’t the only thing in life.
Gabriel L:
No matter how busy you are or how full your day seems, don’t forget to invest in your family. This might seem cliche, but our families, especially our siblings, cannot be taken for granted. Simply giving your time to your parents and siblings are some of the best ways to show that you love them. Cody Johnson in his song “‘Till you Can’t” says it well: “Don’t wait on tomorrow ’cause tomorrow may not show. So say your ‘sorry’s’, your ‘I love you’s’: ’cause man, you never know.”
Lonán M:
Make your faith and God the beginning, end, and centre of everything. Begin your school day in prayer, offer up your work and strife for the His greater Glory, and end it in thanksgiving of His Grace.
Please, eat regularly, drink lots of water and get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep. Life seems brighter and everything seems more achievable. Lastly, enjoy it, treasure even the mundane moments as a gift.
Oliver A:
I think the best thing a person can do in their formidable teenage years is to deeply and seriously reflect on one’s self. As simple as that sounds, the analysis of self is the first step to the improvement of self. During reflection, be honest and mature, and consider whether each aspect to be improved, eliminated, or perpetuated. The next step is to take action. Do all things consciously and intentionally so as to live your life more fully for God. Additionally, as a simple suggestion, read Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales – it will change your life!
Olivia H:
Don’t try to load up your time too much. It’s a whole lot easier to stay on top of your work if you’re not being pulled in too many directions. It’s also important to keep from getting too far behind. If you can do that, all the pressure will be so much less.
Patrick B:
I’ve found to-do lists to be very helpful, especially when you order tasks on them from most important to least important. If you’re able to quantify what you need to do, it makes everything so much easier. I also recommend setting time aside to rest or do extracurricular activities to take your mind off your dull tasks.
