As the seniors enter the last semester of high school, the idea of graduating and starting the next chapter of their lives starts to become a reality. While many former Stamford High School graduates were home for their long winter break, I was able to ask them questions on their experiences in their first semester of college. These graduates have all chosen to do different things after high school, though a majority of them decided to continue their education.

When asked if they felt SHS prepared them for college, many had similar responses. The Round Table’s former editor-in-chief, Paulomi Rao, who is currently a freshman at Dartmouth, said, “SHS in many ways prepared me for my future. Between challenging classes and a diverse body of students, Stamford High allowed me to find a foundation—a platform.  Close teacher relationships and friendships that I hope to keep for the rest of my life makes me truly appreciate the individual I became during my four years there.” Freshman at UCONN Matt Liebman also agreed that SHS has prepared him for college, not just in the form of education, but also because of the extracurricular activities available through the school. “Many of SHS’s organizations like BuildOn and NHS [National Honor Society] also helped prepare me for college in that they helped me become a more community-oriented student.”

I also asked former grads what they missed most about high school. Chris Stenquist, a current freshman at the University of Rhode Island, felt strongly about this question: “What I miss most about high school is just being together with all your friends and going to sports events…It’s all the little things that you didn’t realize you would actually miss.”  Freshman at the University of Maryland Renee Cooper also misses the simplicity of high school. “I miss some small classes and how easy high school is in comparison to college. I also miss getting daily Donut Delight with my friends and just having fun at SHS.”

These recent graduates were also asked what they think current seniors should consider most when choosing which college to attend next year. Geoffrey Cahr, who now attends University of Tampa, said, “There are many things to consider when choosing the best college. People tend to focus too much on solely the caliber of a college. While this certainly is important, it is not the be-all-end-all factor in the decision process. There are so many universities, take the time to really learn about each one that interests you in even the slightest manner.” Tommy Molgano, who is attending Norwalk Community College, has some interesting advice when it comes to deciding where to attend college. He believes you should “go as far away as you can because you may never get the opportunity again.”

Lastly, I asked these recent grads about one thing they wish they hadn’t taken for granted in high school. Mikey White now goes to Canterbury, where he is doing a post-graduate year in preparation to attend college on a baseball scholarship. He had great advice on what you shouldn’t take for granted during your last few months as a high school student. “One thing I would tell them is to take advantage of every opportunity possible, White said. “Whether it be extra credit, community service or clubs, it looks great for college and could be a deciding factor when it come to getting into certain schools.”