The first day of high school is built with anxiety, a packed lunch with a sweet note from mommy and an overly stuffed backpack. As the years swiftly pass, you begin to grab the hang of things.

As a sophomore the awkward feeling of “one down, three years to go” comes into mind. Driving a real car becomes the huge idea as a junior, yet you aren’t quite at the top of the dynasty even though it feels as if you could get around the school with your eyes closed. Finally, senior year arrives.

As the 2016 seniors complete their final year of high school, they had a couple words of advice for underclassmen.

Flowery Branch senior and student-athlete Sydney Dunigan told Young Edge “freshmen need to learn the correct balance between a social life and the importance of education.”

Dunigan cheers football season and basketball season and serves as a captain on the varsity girls golf team. With sports being in her daily routine, she still manages to maintain her 4.0 GPA. Dunigan’s best advice to freshmen is “don’t get discouraged when the going gets tough.”

Academic leader Hailee Miller has a different take on what is important as an underclassman. One of Miller’s tips is, “Find your fit throughout high school. Once you find whatever passion you may have, you’ll truly enjoy school and all its activities.”

Miller is a future University of Georgia student, as she was accepted through early admissions. Throughout high school she found the things she enjoys such as: The Darkside, community service projects, peer leadership and broadcasting.

Miller sat down with Young Edge to tell of her first day of high school being “dreadful” when she was placed into an unwanted elective: intro to broadcasting. She gave the class a shot and now in the fall of 2016 will be majoring in broadcasting at the University of Georgia.

“Be open to any ideas,” Miller said. “You never know where your passion may be.”

She had a lot to say to incoming freshmen, as well as all other underclassmen. When asked to describe high school in word, “remarkable” came to mind.

Leadership Hall member, BETA club officer and Flowery Branch student-athlete Jacob Shewbert expressed the importance of “academic focus.” Shewbert told freshmen to “not forget what the point of school really is. Education is the main priority.”

As the class of 2016 passes down the torch soon, the graduates want each class to grow better than the next. Dunigan ended by saying, “I want each and every class to be able to grow from my class’s mistakes.”