Dear Freshman,

I hope you’re loving Marymount so far! I know that it must be tough being on Zoom and being thrown into high school all of a sudden, but it just makes your class all the more special! I realize you might be sick of hearing that too. All I can offer you is some pieces of advice. 

1. Get involved in things you actually care about. I’m gonna tell you now, don’t overextend yourself thinking things will look good on college applications. There’s only 10 spots for activities. And as someone who has written more supplemental essays than she can count, it is really challenging to write about something that you aren’t passionate about. Do things that make you happy, that get you involved, and that you actually feel drawn to. 
2. Establish good relationships with teachers. They all love teaching so much. Every teacher at Marymount is an amazing person and so many have taught me so many valuable lessons. I know it might seem intimidating, but they are always so welcoming. Go to office hours! This also goes for advisors and counselors. They are there to help you, and all of them are so wonderful. 
3. Enjoy the little things. You haven’t been on campus yet, but enjoy the weird periods between the end of mass and your next class when no one really knows what they’re supposed to be doing. Enjoy sitting in your courtyard with your friends and most of all, enjoy when you have to wear your penny loafers. 
4. And a couple more. Grades never matter as much as your mental health and happiness. Get your permit as soon as you turn 15 and a half. Don’t forget your Spanish-English dictionary. Always do test corrections. This one’s especially far away, but get your college essay done over the summer before senior year. Also, there’s a lot of candy in the admin offices. 
5. And now for some warnings that I did not follow but you definitely should. Keep a planner with your assignments organized. I kept all my assignments in my head which you should definitely not do. Start your essays ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute like I did. Do math in pencil. I personally prefer doing calculus in ink pen; not a good idea when you have to cross out your entire final exam. Wear your uniform. I proudly only got detention once, but the Friday afternoon traffic isn’t worth it. 

And one final message (probably the most important one): BEWARE OF WRITING YOUR EMAIL ON THE PSAT. YOU PROBABLY WILL ANYWAYS BECAUSE WHY WOULDN’T YOU BUT YOU WILL HAVE A FLOODED INBOX FOR THE REST OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER. 

Love,

Julia Kim

Class of 2021