The Class of 2024: What Future Grads Should know

Photo Credit: Teagan Nichol

As the new year rolls around, leaving high school has become a primary focus for Grade 12 students. With intense course loads and university applications, it can be a struggle to find enjoyment in the last year of highschool.

After navigating their own grad year, Hamber’s class of 2024 has guidance to offer and key moments to look back on — moments this year’s Grade 12s can now look forward to.

“It was nice to see everyone dressed up so formally,” said Jasmine Chen, as she recalled the last dance that brought her grade together. Chen, who attends McGill University, expressed that prom was a highlight of her year. For her, the slideshow presented by the Grad Committee evoked a sense of nostalgia.

Cobe Monte and Kaito Nomura had similar sentiments when sharing their grad camping experiences. The pair, both studying at Langara College, commented that it brought the class together. “We spent four days together swimming, roasting marshmallows, eating — pretty much spending the whole time with your friends was just the best,” said Monte.

Winning a national competition with your best friends is an unforgettable experience, but also a fond memory for Hinson Chan. Currently pursuing computer science at Stanford University, Chan found that his best times originated from winning the Canadian CanSat Competition. 

“We worked together on every club and team competition for so long that we wanted to do one final project together,” he said. Winning meant his team would represent Canada at the European Space Agency. “More importantly, we could celebrate our final win as high school best friends.”

For Chen and Monte, time management was a struggle. They noted the difficulty of balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and applications. Chen focussed on setting goals and deadlines while taking AP courses, while Monte relied on Google Calendar to keep organized as a multi-sport athlete.

On the other hand, “senioritis” struck many students including Erica Kwoo, who shared her struggles about dwindling motivation. Although it was tempting to skip out on classes, Kwoo highlighted that she adjusted and worked harder to achieve her goal of entering UBC’s General Science program. “I overcame this [mindset] by thinking about my future and how I needed to lock in if I wanted to get into university.”

Tiernan Thompson, attending his first year at Langara, related to this struggle. Thompson noted for seniors that procrastination is “your worst enemy; give yourself enough time to study for things, while still keeping some time to yourself.”

After graduating, new challenges arose for these former students. Forming new friendships has been difficult, especially after stepping into new environments. The key to success? Putting yourself out there.

“After connecting with someone on Instagram, sometimes I just randomly ask if they want to grab lunch at a dining hall and get to know each other a bit more, which turns into an hour long conversation and a new friend,” said Chan. He explained that becoming comfortable socially is a process, but also that the “great thing about university is it's the perfect time to start fresh!”

“My high school course load was very science heavy, but I discovered that I am not too interested in science,” explained Chen. For some grads, having the freedom to explore different paths has been a key aspect of post-secondary. After exploring her options, she decided to take courses in different fields which are “working out pretty well!”

The same message was reflected by Chan, as he said “no one knows what they want to do, so don't feel compelled to stay on one path forever; keep alternative plans that you maintain and explore.”

When asked to give one piece of advice for this year’s graduating class, one message was echoed by alumni: savour and cherish every moment.

“Spend as much time as you can with your friends,” Nomura urged. “This might be the last time you see some of them.”

Physics teacher Mr. M. Lam (Science), who graduated from Hamber in 2009, agreed with this sentiment. Mr. Lam advised seniors to treasure and invest in their friendships as “they are some of the most valuable things you’ll ever have.” 

“Participate in grad events and talk to people,” said Chen, emphasizing the importance of staying engaged. “I made some awesome friends my senior year.”

Mr. Lam also reminds seniors to “always remember to stay humble and be grateful for the education you’ve received.”

Kwoo explained that despite it being very easy to get wrapped up in the fun of the final year, students must remember that their actions dictate their future. However, she reminds seniors to not stress themselves out and to make the most of their remaining days in high school.

“Enjoy the rest of your year, seniors!”