community service, sports, clubs, and classes I had never heard of; I didn’t know what to expect at all. It was great to have juniors and even seniors who knew much more about what they were doing than I did. Amidst all the freshman jokes, I took a lot from the upperclassmen that were in my classes and clubs – and if more upperclassmen take initiative, freshmen can be more active, prepared, and knowledgeable.

Almost all electives have the potential to include underclassmen as well as upperclassmen. For upperclassmen in these classes, interacting with and helping struggling underclassmen is a good way to instill responsibility.  A small boost of motivation helps freshmen become self-reliant and provides a good opportunity for leadership and assistance – skills that can get you anywhere.

Helping out underclassmen works best when it comes to sports – juniors and seniors who are experts at their sports must leave a legacy with freshmen and sophomores who can keep their teams strong after they’re gone. Not only is it rewarding for a great high school athlete to train someone to fill their shoes, but a great senior can leave knowing that the team is in good hands. Almost all extracurriculars benefit from “passing the torch” and leaving someone prepared to run things after they graduate. Running something efficiently has to be tied with setting it up for success in the future, or else everything you worked for is only temporary. Cementing an extracurricular for younger people to eventually carry on helps maintain it for years to come.

Think of a time someone older helped you adjust to your surroundings – and let that be your motivation to do right by someone younger. If you’re a junior, senior, or even a sophomore, and you see some freshmen in your area struggling to get by, try and lend them a hand; you might have been there once too!