As the springtime has heated plastic turf and I’ve been outside in the Stent more often, the seniors have been out in our patented red 2024 pants. With graduation coming up sooner rather than later and most seniors being legal (if not actual) adults, I wondered what kinds of wisdom we might have for the current students.
So, I asked each and every Castilleja senior the same question: “If you could leave one piece of advice for Casti students after you graduate, what would it be?” I hope to be able to make that hypothetical a reality by documenting them all.
I cannot claim that this advice is high quality. I do realize that I’m asking slightly older teenagers to give advice to slightly younger teenagers. But the class of 2024 has been at Castilleja quite some time and we probably have some advice worth taking.
Some of the advice was funny. Natalie Wong said to “always take 2 s’mores bars.” Lexie Stinson said to “join at least one cult,” by which she meant extracurricular activities but same difference really. “Run through the sprinkler when it turns on,” was Chloe Tan’s advice, which I’ve never done but I’ll have to try.
Some of the advice was practical. For example, Aasiya Memon advised students to “for God’s sake don’t stress so much. Everything could go wrong and everything would still be fine.” Tzewa Dingpontsawa said, “Have 2 frees in both semesters senior year,” which I have to agree with; it saved my life. Emma Foster told me, “Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your grandma seeing.”
Some of the advice was anecdotal. Krisaana Gunsagar advised to “not leave your year long capstone project for a night before.” Reece Sharp said to “advocate for yourself. If there’s something that matters to you, email is your friend.”
Some of the advice was short and sweet. “Do your work,” was Emma Chu’s advice. Tanvi Prasad said that “it’s never that deep.” Sam Solomon advised students to “find your people, they make it worth it.” Tatum Schultz said to always “keep a to do list,” which is one of the most important habits I ever formed.
Some of the advice was a call to action. Julia Zeitlin said to “use what you learn at Casti to fight for the people and places you care about. Hug some trees and get a dog (or get a friend who has a dog.)” And, most importantly, Chiamaka Iloh asked me to “tell them to bring back pomegranate yo,” which I’m morally obligated to print.
Finally, some of the advice was big picture. Annika Heinemann said that “when you’re here, enjoy it. Complain all you want, but cherish your moments here. You will miss it.” Riley Sterling said to “stick with what you feel is right in your gut. It’s easy to fall into peer pressure and the hardest classes but doing what you’re interested in is more important.” Further members of our class echoed the importance of valuing your time here and using it wisely.
This advice was all varying shades of serious to silly and all came from some extremely new adults. But all of it was meant, in one way or another, to improve the lives of Castilleja students. So, given all this wisdom, my advice to you would be to learn from your classmates. Mine had so much wisdom and you never know, yours might too.
Aashi Agarwal: Just take the risk. Worst case you get to tell a really interesting story.
Fernanda Argüello: ******
Jillian Ascher: strategize your uniform violations based on classes
Adriana Avila: live life one day at a time
Greta Bollyky: Live in the moment. Don’t be so stressed about what’s coming.
Emma Chu: Do your work
Thea Dai: make time to enjoy the special things about high school, because the days are long, but the years are short!
Ella Debenham: don’t take anything too seriously – schoolwork or otherwise. My mom has always told me and my sister to “be a seven,” and I have really internalized that in the last couple of years.
Analisa Delgado: Have fun, try new things, and get to know yourself. You’re never gonna do high school again.
Olivia Detter: You don’t have to stress about perfecting your work. Doing your best ends up working out
Tzewa Dingpontsawa: Have 2 frees both semesters senior year.
Ruby Dowling: Have a hobby that you don’t measure your success in, nothing that is judged. Something you do for yourself. Something you can’t college-ify
Ruby Flath: ******
Caitlyn Flexer: Carve your own path for yourself, find your people, and foster your curiosity.
Emma Foster: Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your grandma seeing.
Anat Goldstein: Get something that you’re passionate about and do not involve it academically at all.
Yael Goldwasser: Don’t worry about your grades. They won’t let you get less than a C.
Malia Gonzalez: Don’t be an idiot and don’t drink and drive.
Krisaana Gunsagar: Do not leave your year long capstone project for a night before.
Diana Gutierrez: don’t take everything too seriously, It’s ok to not do that one homework or go to that one event. everything works out in the end.
Yasmine Haque: Learn to let go. If you know you’ve done the best you can, let go.
Annika Heinemann: When you’re here, enjoy it. complain all you want, but cherish your moments here, you will miss it.
Eman Hussain: There is no harm at all in trying new things and taking a risk even if you think you are too late. you can try a new sport or try to make a new friend while you’re in any grade. you’ll never know what someone will say unless you ask.
Chiamaka Iloh: Tell them to bring back pomegranate yo.
Aria Kapoor: Have fun.
Samantha Kim: Take the time to connect with people from the community because the people here are what really set Casti apart and made my experience so worthwhile.
Michelle Leonard: Use google calendar.
Lauren Lin: YOLO! Try new things, but also try saying no.
Sydney Lowell: Be open to talking to people. People are friendlier than you might expect.
Perry McElhinney: *****
Aasiya Memon: For God’s sake don’t stress so much. Everything could go wrong and everything would still be fine
Danielle Molotsi: don’t talk crap on instagram/Watch your digital footprint
Avery Neuner: learn from your classmates. Mine had so much wisdom and you never know, yours might too.
Liv Nickel: Try lots of things and it’s ok if not all of them work out
Violet Pasmooji: embrace the traditions.
Jing Peng: *****
Tanvi Prasad: It’s never that deep.
Mia Ramirez: If you don’t feel like doing work just don’t do it. You have a lot more important things that are a lot more fun. I learned that too late.
Kavitha Ravi: ******
Naomi Rockower: Live a little, you’re young.
Antonia Ross: you get out of the Casti community what you put into it
Alexa Schmeltzer: try to build relationships with your teachers
Tatum Schultz: Keep a to do list
Reece Sharp: Advocate for yourself. If there’s something that matters to you, email is your friend.
Julie Sidana: Go all out for all the traditions. Put your all into it.
Carolinda Silva: Find wiggle room in the uniform to express yourself. Wear whatever you want disregard what other people say about it.
Eve Snyder: don’t concern yourself with grades and extracurriculars. The first priority is to make sure you are having a great time. life’s just gonna suck.
Sam Solomon: Find your people, they make it worth it.
Riley Sterling: Stick with what you feel is right in your gut. it’s easy to fall into “i should be doing the hardest class” but doing what you’re interested in is more important.
Lexie Stinson: Join at least one cult.
Olivia Stinson: don’t upset them.
Vienna Sun: you don’t have to do half the work assigned.
Chloe Tan: Run through the sprinkler when it turns on.
Nane Tofavaha: Try everything. It’s not too late to join anything.
Sophia Trabanino: Be yourself and enjoy all the memory and all the traditions with all the people
Madie Tsang: Take a balanced course load.
Serra Tulu: Cherish your inter-grade friendships
Claire Wong: Make friends with you teachers
Natalie Wong: Always take 2 s’mores bars.
Julia Zeitlin: Use what you learn at Casti to fight for the people and places you care about. Hug some trees and get a dog (or get a friend who has a dog.)
Joanne Zhao: I know it’s hard, but put things into perspective.
