Sister to sister: Take risks

Natalie Fiorella ’22 reflects on the risks and rewards of trying something new.

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Jane Borneman '22

Natalie Fiorella '22, Staff Writer

As a senior in high school, I have learned that my thoughts and opinions will change a lot. Some freshmen come into school thinking they know exactly what they want to do with their lives. I’m here to tell you, that can change.

A lot can change in four years.  My freshman year I had no idea what I wanted to do for college. One thing that helped me through was that I still have so much time.

Freshman year can be overwhelming, but one thing I suggest is to take risks. Taking classes that you don’t know anything about can be a blessing in disguise. For example, I was placed in Journalism I class without knowing anything about it, and ended up loving it. You can realize it’s an enjoyable experience that you wouldn’t know about if you weren’t put in that class.

There have been many classes I thought I wouldn’t like because it wasn’t my first choice but I ended up loving.  For example, I went into Digital Art concerned that it wasn’t the right fit for me,  but after a week of taking the class I ended up really enjoying it. As you are looking for new classes, keep an open mind about trying something that you haven’t experienced before.

Another way to take risks is to get involved in school activities. One thing I suggest is to get involved in sports. My freshman year I decided to play lacrosse, but I didn’t know much about it, or how to play. It turned out to be a great way to make friends. The season was great, even though I wasn’t the best player. That was the only year I played , but I met some of my best friends there.

One of my favorite activities at Mount is the ten hour long Magic-Thon. Ten hours sounds intimidating, but it is a super fun day that you have to experience at least once. There are so many games and stories that make it a great day.

Doing some type of activity every year will be a great experience, and you can have something to look forward to. I know I always get excited for winter formal because I see it as a tradition after going every year since I was a freshman.

Getting involved can make your high school experience better than it already is.