Whether you’re just joining Thousand Oaks High School as a freshman or you’re a returning Lancer, there is a lot of pressure to have a good high school experience. Teachers, parents and coaches alike constantly remind us that our time in high school is fleeting, and we only have one chance to do it right. But what does a good high school experience even entail?
The Lancer spoke to a number of seniors about any input they had for this burning question. Who better to talk about the high school experience than the students with the most experience on campus?
One common theme among respondents was that getting involved, in every corner of student life, was the key to success. Sports, clubs, electives, and other group activities on campus can bring you closer and closer to that “perfect” high school experience.
Kyren Peterson was one of the many proponents of this idea, encouraging students to “get involved as early as you can, go to clubs, talk to teachers, and do sports.”
There are a myriad of ways to get involved on campus. Going to Friday night football games and participating in the Green Hole student section is a great way to get to know people, have fun, and feel more connected to the rest of the student body. Football games stay hype and the amount of school spirit that radiates from the bleachers is enough to find those that share your energy.
If football games aren’t your speed, maybe performing arts is. From competing in band competitions to performing in the fall play, there’s always another activity to try, and meet fun people while doing it. TOHS works hard to produce around three plays annually, and with each play comes a handful of responsibilities that need to be done with students. Meaning there is an opportunity for you to get involved anywhere, gain new skills and surround yourself with like-minded students who share your priorities.
Many seniors voiced their regret for not prioritizing this sooner, Delaney Hatch being one of them.
“There’s really something that you can miss out on in high school,” Hatch said. “And if for whatever reason you do miss out, you’re going to regret it.”
There’s no wrong way to get involved, but not getting involved at all can make high school feel boring and lonely. Finding community in your activities is one of the best ways to make friends and stay excited to come to school every day. Waking up early for school can be a dread but if you have good friends by your side you’ll find that school can be anything but boring.
On the topic of making friends, the other big piece of advice seniors gave was on the many intricacies of high school friendship, and how it inevitably affects your experiences while you’re here.
Noah Kim and Petersen shared advice on high school friendship, their statements short and sweet.
“Spend time with good people,” Kim said. “Make friends, have fun!” Peterson said.
In contrast, Jacqueline Sturges had a more nuanced take on the issue.
“Don’t get stressed about your friend group right now because it’s going to change,” Sturges said.
While high school can be where you find your life-long friends, this is also when our values and who you truly are as a person is developed. Some friends are meant to be kept forever, and sometimes people can outgrow each other. The good thing about high school is that, everyone is figuring out themselves, and there’s so many people, meaning that if there’s drama or feuds going on, ultimately it will end and you’ll move on.
With all the complications of high school life, it can feel like no matter what you’re doing, you’re doing it wrong. However, our Lancer seniors can tell you it doesn’t have to be that hard; all you really need is to get involved and put some effort into making friends to secure yourself an awesome high school experience.
