OHS Alumni Event
In November, OHS hosted an Alumni Event where recent graduates gathered to provide OHSers with insight into what might await them after graduation. In attendance was Ilana Ngugen; currently attending Brown University, Maddy Manning-Bi; currently attending Columbia University, Jeevet Kaur; currently attending UC Berkeley, Lexi Tabacu; currently attending UCLA, and Ryan Lin; currently attending Caltech. Current students were able to attend just to listen, or submit questions beforehand for the panelists.
After a fun introduction, the alumni began to answer questions. The first question was about balancing academics, extracurriculars, and social life. All of the alumni admitted that sometimes they can focus too much on academics, however, they mentioned that using a planner to map out your weekly schedule helps combat being consumed by the academic aspect of college. They spoke of the importance of prioritizing the extracurriculars that you enjoy instead of trying to do everything at once as well as focusing on time management to balance your life.
The following question concerned test-taking strategies the alumni had used in high school and how they applied in college. One strategy that was mentioned was taking practice tests that closely mimicked a real exam. A common suggestion was creating physical notes to develop a solid foundation and memory of concepts. Stress-management techniques such as writing down positive affirmations on the test were also suggested! For those with test-taking anxiety, it was suggested to simply compartmentalize, and divide the preparation process into smaller parts so it is less overwhelming. It is important to remind yourself that it is simply a test, and won’t ruin your life. They mentioned the importance of getting yourself in the mindset of seeing it not as a test, but rather as a measure of how much you understand the topics you’ve learned.
After this, the conversation moved to how to balance schoolwork with in-person events such as homecoming. A common theme between the responses from the Alumni was that it was easier to balance in-person events while still at OHS, because of their fixed dates making it possible to plan around them. One alumnus suggested that in anticipation of an in-person event, make sure to complete school work early to leave yourself with a pocket of free time to socialize. Extensions were also a major suggestion–most, if not all OHS instructors will give an extension in the case of a social event–although it is better to ask for one beforehand rather than after the fact.
The next question was on college life: “what skills or lessons from OHS have been the most valuable in college life”? OHS imparted a range of skills, from being self-motivated to how to learn and study efficiently which prepares you for the college workload. For example, one of the alumni, Maddy, mentioned that she hadn’t struggled as much in college as OHS because of the skills that OHS imparted. Additionally, one lesson was to not stress over a grade that is not an A as many OHSers have gotten into amazing colleges without having all A’s.
The final question was a sentimental one: it asked what is the one thing you wish you could tell your younger self at OHS. A major sentiment was to stop worrying about grades, and school, and to take time to relax. It will all end up fine in the end, and there is no need to cry about academics. While it might be difficult, it is important to remember that self-worth is not tied to academic performance.