Westchester Reporter

For students considering their college options, deciding factors may include majors, location, and size. Or the food.

“The food. That is my favorite thing about the school,” said Kate Hidalgo, a sophomore at the University of Rochester. Although she did also note that the financial aid package, school size and family atmosphere on campus were also important in her decision to attend the renowned research institution.

Ms. Hidalgo, who graduated in 2021, was one of several Alexander Hamilton High School alumni who returned to their alma mater to talk to underclassmen about their college experience.

In an annual tradition, AHHS grads spoke about what life is like as they adjusted to being college students. They covered such topics as classes, how they decided on a major and the differences between their workloads between high school and college.

They also shared how, while difficult to do in practice, the underclassmen should not sweat the small stuff.

“It’s going to be scary,” admitted Kathleen Praino, AHHS Class of ’22 and a freshman at Vanderbilt University. “But I have met some of my best friends there.”

“It is not the end all, be all for what you do in the future,” Bailey Proctor, AHHS Class of ’21 and a sophomore at Villanova University said referring to their time in high school. “I was so focused on my work as a student. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.”

High school, Ms. Proctor said, is a time to form who you are, what you like and dislike.

Several on the panel noted that while getting good grades is important, colleges and universities are also very interested in who you are as a person. What kinds of activities you were involved in both inside and outside of school?

“Try things you wouldn’t normally try, it helps you get used to doing new things,” said Savallya Boyini, AHHS ’20 and a currently a student at Cornell University.

Several panel members shared how one of the lessons they wish they had paid more attention to before going off to college was time management.

“I wish I was able to manage my time better in high school,” said Edwin Aguilar, a sophomore at SUNY Albany.

Time management will be the key to success in college as it will require individuals to get themselves to classes on time (As parents will not be there to help!) It also means managing the required work and balancing that work with a social life.

Part of this also means giving yourself a break, said Phoenix Harper, a freshman at the University of Connecticut.

“Prioritize your mental health,” she said. This could be in the form of simply walking out of your dorm room for a few minutes when studying, reaching out to a Residential Assistant for some help or using the on-site health facilities.

Ms. Harper was able to room with AHHS classmate Daniella Rambaran. While they knew each other, that is not always the case and rooming with someone can be a whole new experience all by itself.

First, Ms. Rambaran said, dorm rooms are notoriously small, so pack wisely. Secondly, you will be living with a diverse group of people, so get to know them!

Ms. Harper noted that just because you live with someone does not mean you have to be best friends. But it does mean, she said, you must learn to live with someone.

“Sometimes you are going to have to compromise,” agreed Sunjay Green, a freshman at SUNY Oneonta, but who will be transferring to the University of Connecticut at the end of this year.

Ms. Praino noted how all the freshmen they meet are experiencing similar things, they are likely away from home for the first time too.

“You are all in the same boat,” she said. “They are nervous too.”

She advised being open to meeting new people and Mr. Boyini agreed.

“If you go to a bigger school, reach out to people who are not in your intended major. It’s good to have friends from different places,” he said.

The underclassmen also had an opportunity to ask questions. They were curious about what the alumni felt helped make them stand out on their college application, if high school prepared them well for college, is it worth it to take Advanced Placement classes, are any of them working while in school and what they do for fun on weekends.

The alum told them they should write an authentic essay about who they really are, how there are plenty of job opportunities on campus and many who are willing to work around their class schedules, and that there is no way they will be bored while away at school as there is so much to do on campus and in the surrounding community.

Original source can be found here.