The other week, we advised the freshmen who were starting off their high school careers. Now it is time to move up the ladder and speak to the next class. No longer the newest students on campus, sophomores are in a unique position. By now, they should have figured out most of Fairmont Prep and how it works. They have been able to work on the balance between school work, extracurricular interests, and personal life. They understand how to prepare for an exam and the level of work expected of them. They may have made a mistake or two in their freshman year, and that is okay, but now it is time to focus.

We don’t expect a sophomore year to be perfect. In fact, we never expect perfection. However, we hope that students can build on the foundation they established during freshman year. Try that one extra honors or AP class, join that other club, or take on a leadership role in a club you joined last year. Challenge yourself further with your athletics, and go for new personal bests. It is time to take it to the next level.

Does this mean you should be spending 20 hours each day striving to be better than last year? Of course not. We still want you to sleep and have time with family and friends. What we want is for you to define what success is going to mean to you and think about how you will achieve it. Set some goals for yourself. Don’t just rely on the goals that others have set for you. Start to think about what it is that you want to do and what kind of life you want to lead. You’ve got time this year to try a few things and see what works.

Sophomore year is important, but so is all of high school. With some thought, you can make the best of your sophomore year and set yourself up for future success.