While my four years at MHS have seen a wide variety of classes, I’ve always been able to count on my English classes to be enjoyable and applicable. As a self-professed bookworm, I’ve relished the opportunities I’ve had to read exceptional literature every year.

With the school year finally coming to an end, Minnetonka High School seems to be buzzing with excitement for the long-awaited summer. Testing season is over, the weather is starting to get nice, and seniors are preparing for graduation. But for those of you who will be returning next fall, a new school year is probably the last thing on your mind, especially if you’re that person who’s in all AP classes, 15 clubs, and still manages to have a 4.0 GPA. But as a graduating senior who’s had a rigorous academic experience myself, I believe I have some advice that can help you thrive in your remaining years.

If the purpose of high school is to prepare students for successful lives, then I don’t think anything I learned was more important than this. Not even calculus.

Lists are everywhere. I have lists of homework to complete, things to do before college, and what I need to buy at Target. I love lists. They keep me organized and are not only fun to make, but they also allow for the satisfying feeling of being able to check things off when you complete them. Most importantly, they are an important tool used to manage stress. I have been making lists ever since my mom gave me my first chore list when I was five or six years old. Of course, back then my lists only consisted of smaller things, like make my bed and fold my laundry. Now, my lists have evolved to everything from the tasks I need to get done before college starts to, surprisingly still, folding my laundry.

Psychology has evolved drastically in the past hundred years. Today, psychologists are more capable than ever of diagnosing and treating disorders involving mood, trauma, and personality.

One of my favorite video game series of all time is Pokémon due to its fun stories, lovable characters and the opportunity to travel across regions populated by cute creatures that are fun to both battle and collect. Each new game brings a different twist on the basic Pokémon formula, with new gym leaders, enemy teams, stories, and mechanics that are exciting and fun.