Now that NDA students are about two months into the 2013-14 school year, Tritons should be starting to feel more comfortable with their new schedules, including classes and extracurriculars. Some students, however, may still be trying to find out where they fit in.

If you are not quite comfortable yet, your teachers or parents may be offering you advice on how to succeed in high school. Don’t get me wrong, they may have some wise words of wisdom, but if your parents are anything like mine, high school now is a lot different than when they attended it.

So take this advice from a senior at YOUR high school, someone who has been through a lot of the struggles you are facing now.

Freshmen: There is a large possibility that you are still wondering where you fit in at NDA. My advice to you would be to get involved. You probably hear it a lot, but as you get older, you will gain more responsibility and have fewer opportunities to join clubs that you are interested in now.

As a senior, I currently have two jobs, I am in the school play, and I take piano lessons. I wish as a freshman I would have joined photography club and ASTRA, along with others, because now I simply don’t have time.

Take advantage of these opportunities now. Also, don’t get too concerned if you haven’t made 100 new friends since school started. If you become involved, you will have plenty of friends in no time. Don’t forget about your academics, either. Your grades now will still be taken into account when it comes to college, so don’t slack in school.

Sophomores: Congratulations! You made it through your first year of high school. However, you are not seniors, so don’t act like it. Freshmen are not your victims or your targets for bullying. You were in their position only a few months ago, and you know how hard it was at some points.

Sophomore year is really your opportunity to build on the confidence you gained last year. Continue to be open to new friendships, and stay active in the clubs you joined. Keep studying hard, because if you don’t, you will regret it when you have to start applying to college.

Juniors: Finally, you are an upperclassman! Now is when grades become more important than ever before. When you send your transcripts to college, most likely, the most recent grades they will see will be from your junior year, so make them good!

Enjoy being an upperclassman and being able to drive places yourself and spend (or save) money you may be earning from a job you just got. Now is also your chance to take on more leadership roles that you can continue your senior year.

Seniors: I haven’t been a senior for long, but I have learned some important lessons already. Get your college applications done early because there is an incredible feeling of relief once they are finished.

Senior year, however, isn’t ALL about college. Now is when we have an amazing opportunity to make a difference at NDA. Whether you’re president of a club or the captain of a sports team, you have an opportunity to inspire an underclassman, so put forth a good image, because you have no idea who is watching. Let’s not waste senior year making stupid mistakes.

Most importantly, when you’re shivering in the stands on a Friday night, cheering at the top of your lungs, stop for a moment and look around. Take note of the people around you, the feelings and the sights, because soon, whether we like it or not, senior year will be over. We’re already a quarter of the way done.

So although we may be praying that senior year goes by as quickly as possible, take a moment and be thankful for the opportunities we have at NDA. Before you know it, we will be throwing our caps into the air and saying goodbye on graduation day.