Senior Advice to Underclassmen

Zoe Sommer’23 Features Editor

This fall, Hopkins welcomed over 100 new students to campus. To help new students, The Razor reached out to the Class of 2022, asking them to share advice about navigating life on The Hill. Here’s what the seniors had to say about the Hopkins experience.

What advice would you give to incoming seventh graders?
“Don’t restrict yourself; give yourself room to grow. The things that interest you now and the things that you’ll be passionate about in a few years might be far more different than you’d expect. Try new things, understand that there’s no such thing as failure—only opportunities to learn,” Alexandra Matthews.

“Be patient. Junior school is for learning about how you learn, about your classmates, and the school. Don’t worry too much about your grades, ask for help, and have fun,” Anonymous.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

“When teachers or other people say to ask for help, they really mean it. High school is a tough time, and anybody that you ask would be happy to help out with whatever you need. High school is also a fun time, though! Make tons of good memories, good relationships with your classmates and teachers, and find your ‘thing’ that makes you feel special,” Brandon Faunce.

“Ninth grade is the time to try a bunch of new things, whether it be working on a production with HDA, trying out for a team, or just joining a club or an intramural sport. It gets harder and harder to try lots of things as you get busier, so it’s super important to get outside of your comfort zone and experience. Even if you missed some clubs at the activities fairs, you can always reach out to club heads or members to join mid-year,” Zach Williamson.

What is one essential piece of information you think all Hopkins students should know?

“Ask teachers for help! This is definitely echoed a lot around campus, but I was super hesitant to reach out to my teachers when I first came to Hopkins. If you’re confused, more likely than not your teacher will be able to explain the concept in a different way that will help you understand. Teachers at Hopkins really want to get to know you and help you improve, and are always happy to meet with you for extra help,” Zach Williamson.

“Come to school events like Back to School Bash and Ski Lodge Night, participate in activities and clubs and dress up for Spirit Week. Have fun!” Alexandra Matthews.

What is one big mistake you made during your first year at Hopkins and in retrospect how would you have handled the situation differently?

“I spent a lot of time searching for the “right” friend group and not realizing the potential of the people I did hang out with. I think it’s important to value your friends, and especially to do things with them. If I could go back and change that, I would have done a lot more fun things with my friends outside of school and overall just tried to spend more time with them.” Brandon Faunce.

What advice would you give to your past self before starting Hopkins?
“Absolutely get your homework done early. You’re going to have way more stuff to do than you think you do when it comes down to it, especially if you’ve been pushing a ton of things off. It isn’t worth the stress,” Brandon Faunce.

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Senior Advice to Underclassmen