Sophia Suggests

Sophia Paranzino, Editor-in-Chief
June 8, 2022

I’m nervous about applying to colleges. What advice can you give me about getting through this process?

Applying to colleges can be hard because, let’s face it, no one likes rejection. It is normal to form preferences for schools you like best, but remain flexible until you hear the results. Getting your heart set on a college can make it really disappointing if your hopes don’t come to fruition. Just know that no college is the end all be all and there are plenty of places that you can have good experiences at and gain a lot from. That being said, you need to apply in order to get in. The application process can be tedious, and a lot of work if left to the last minute. This is a lesson I have unfortunately learned from experience. Space the work out by making a calendar for yourself with dates to complete the different aspects of your application so that the work does not overwhelm you. This process takes a lot of effort, but the feeling of relief at getting results at the end makes it totally worth it.

How should I prevent pain from getting my wisdom teeth removed?

Speaking from personal experience, taking Advil at regular intervals really helped to soothe the pain – except the moments where it didn’t and I was in excruciating agony. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but still, I don’t envy you for having to go through this. Regardless, the pain is pretty manageable as long as you don’t make the same mistake I did by forgetting to take anything before going to sleep. Also, invest in one of those funny looking ice pack holders that wrap around your head and you should be fine.     

I feel like I’m always doing homework and I never have enough time to do the things I enjoy. How can I fix this?

Time is one of our most precious resources, and with the busy schedules that many of our peers maintain, it’s no wonder you feel like there isn’t enough. I encourage you to examine how you actually use your time – when you are doing homework are you totally focused or are you engaging with your phone or other distractions? If your answer is the latter, you would benefit from cutting out distractions to greatly reduce your working time. If, however, your time is totally monopolized by school work and activities, you should rethink your schedule. Cut out activities that don’t bring you joy. More importantly perhaps would be to revisit your course schedule for next year. If your workload is currently unmanageable, you should adjust the demands of your courses to meet your capacity.         

What things would you recommend someone do before graduating from high school?

What you do is not important; what is most important is that you do something. I guarantee you, the memories you’ll look back at with fondness won’t be the times you sat on your bed, scrolling on your phone, but rather, the times you went out and had fun. Whether it be finding cheap concert tickets, going bowling or just getting fries with your friends at the local diner, there are so many memorable ways that you can use your time. Additionally, take part in as many high school activities as possible. While some things might initially seem lame or unworthy of our time, things like school dances, clubs and traditions like painting the rocks are all unique to this period in our lives and should be enjoyed while they are still available to us. Engage in personal projects, like coding, debate or crafts to develop your passions. Use this unique time to discover more about yourself.