The class of 2025, we’ve been through a lot. To name a few memories…Carter moon walking out of his freshman campaign speech, the John Hazen nerf gun epidemic, Paul being everyone’s favorite person for all of freshman year, Gus purposefully slipping on a banana in the dining hall, Luke’s library cartwheels, Ore’s Occupation, Gab entirely switching sports and going D1, Annika Song saying “Rosa Parks,” Sako’s insane stage presence, Jacob’s “Ineffable Feelings,” Pittman baking snacks in health and wellness, and every time we were publicly humbled by Parker (who is, by the way, the inspiration for this piece, thanks to her class assembly speech).

We saw the dining hall completely redone and an attempt at “revamping reed.” We were the first class to live in a newly named “Wold House,” and to bring back Logan!

As for Injuries: We’ve had too many concussions to count, several knee surgeries, a couple broken arms, a broken collarbone, and one pedestrian/car collision.

Together, we experienced the passing of a classmate.

On May 24th, we will walk across that stage—smiling, laughing, maybe crying—and likely never be together in the same place again. We are one of the biggest classes yet and we’ve made a mark just as big.

For the underclassmen, here’s some advice:

Pittman Alley: “Stay the course, trust the process, learn the process, and dominate!”

Ashley Barnes: “Don’t wait until senior spring to talk with people you don’t know, you might miss out on getting to be friends with someone pretty cool. Also, your time at Williston will fly by, you want to look back and remember the people that made you laugh, not cry.”

Niamh Cleary: “Do your homework, it really is that serious. Don’t forget to write your college essay.”

Chris Anderson: “Naps are goated, and you won’t realize you need them until it’s too late.”

Liam Barry: “I am now wishing I had chosen the kind, empathetic path in every situation. It may seem trivial and childish, but the golden rule isn’t so wrong at the end of the day.”

Violet Carroll: “Enjoy every little moment. You truly have no idea how fast time will go by until your 4 years at Williston are over. Hangout with friends as much as possible and go to every weekend event because you don’t want any regrets when you leave.”

Soph DiTerlizzi: “If you have a dream, chase it because it’s not going to chase you.”

Alyssa Frazier: “Don’t stress about picking out the perfect college, everything works out and everything happens for a reason. The right college will pick you!”

Ava Howard: “Not being on a varsity team is OKAY. Williston is super sports-oriented, but it’s not always about being the best. Take the opportunity on JV teams to find yourself and others who make you feel your best.”

Alyssa Matricciani: “High school is too short to care what someone else thinks…live for yourself and do everything you can with 100% of what you got.”

Nikki Chatson: “Say thank you to your teachers after every class!”

Chris Anderson (again): “Sign up for customer accounts at Dominos, Big Es, Tandem and Seven Eleven. They are seriously worth it.”

Lucy Hoyt: “Cherish the moments you have with your friends.”

Joey O’Donald: “Go to things. If that means potentially going alone, then go alone. If you’re on a sports team, go to an arts event; if you’re an artist, go to a game, just go support each other.”

Dan McBride: “At the end of the day, no one (including yourself) will remember your high school failures. The mistakes you make today turn you into a stronger person for tomorrow.”

Rinka Okuno: “Take electives that actually interest you! A lot of them are standard classes, so you won’t get that “honors/AP boost” for your GPA, but it’s so worth it. And it can still look great for college if it aligns with your interests.”

Tessa Legere: “Make the most of a day with good weather!”

Gemma Polino: “Take the classes you want to take senior year, and the ones that could be related to what you want to study in college. Write your college essay over the summer, it takes like an hour at most lowkey.”

Linnea Rhodes: “Don’t let college apps take over your entire life, and eat lots of Tandem!”

Mya Schattin: “Grades are never that deep.”

Maya Zesiger: “Don’t let people’s opinions and preconceptions dictate what you do. If you want to go for something, give yourself the confidence and faith to work hard. Also, dab on them haters.”

Bryce Akroyd: “Do your work and get good grades but also don’t forget to have fun and enjoy [high school]”

Vivian Walker: “Don’t spend all weekend studying, it’s not worth it.”

Chris Anderson (a third time): “Always drink more water than you think you need. This may seem like a joke, but it can be life or death if not taken seriously.”

Aster Carlstrom: “Colleges can tell when you’re faking it. They’re more interested in why you care about something than the fact that you did it. So, if there’s something you’re genuinely excited about, lean into that. Passion stands out way more than just a long list of activities.”

Annika Song: “Everything happens at a certain time for a reason!”

Sako Lively: “By now everyone knows how fun ceramics is, but other arts courses are awesome too. Don’t make the mistake of believing you won’t enjoy arts classes because you think you’re not artistic; lack of technical excellence is not a roadblock preventing anyone from enjoying art so take the (art) electives your heart desires.”

Maggie Fay: “There’s always time to go to Dunkin before class.”

Carter Cleary: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

Ashley Sarmanian: “Make sure to treasure every moment spent with friends and classmates because time goes by so fast!”

Juno Aselton: “Do your homework and get your meds.”

Cici Cao: “Don’t restrict your social life just because of your origins, embrace cultural barriers. Also, go to the resources center because they’re super helpful.”

Annika Stackmann: “People come and go, but everyone you meet shapes who are.”

Ore Odutayo: “Place your trust in God, and His goodness will follow.”

Shane Bussard: “Don’t feel rushed to find the perfect topic for your college essay, one day it’ll just smack you in the face.”

Davi McDonald: “Get in the gym as much as you can. Use your free’s and any extra time to put in as much work as possible because you won’t always have access to these resources and facilities.”

Chris Anderson (once more): “He/She/They are NOT the one.”

Rylan Shibley: “Focus on self-improvement, it’s most valuable during this time.”

Maddy McCarthy: “Your friendships will change throughout high school and that is ok! What matters is staying true to yourself.”

Liza Hampson: “Life might not always go as planned but stay kind, never underestimate yourself and you can overcome anything life throws your way.”

Hazel Jacobs: “Value yourself and your time.”

David An: “Your efforts [are] going to pay you later…amen.”

Ty Dingle: “You gotta shoot for the stars, reach for the sky.”

Troy Worrell: “You can’t be stuck on your past when your future is bright.”

Graham Williams: “Spend your time outside with your friends on the warm days! That is where memories are made.”

Herrick Stevenson: “Don’t take your time [in high school] for granted, it will be over before you know it.”

Kiran Misra: “Prioritize your friends, [there’s] no shame in asking for help, [and] be friendly with teachers and build relationships with them.”

Ryan Commoss: “[High school] goes by quicker than you think, enjoy every moment.”

Jack Berrien: “Remember, grades are just a number (that really matters but doesn’t tell the whole story).”

Parker Brown: “You are going to be a jerk for a good chunk of your high school career, but you have to embrace that and acknowledge it so you can grow. Williston is an amazing place to become a well-rounded person, but you have to be honest with yourself and others about your mess-ups. There is something to learn even from your enemies, try to find one good thing in everyone.”

Sebastian Enriquez: “Multitasking is not real. It’s better to lock in and enjoy your time off than spend the day half-doing work.”

Ellie Parsons: “Don’t worry about all the little things and just remember to see the bigger picture.”

Luke Grabowski: “You can’t change where you started, but you can change where you end.”

Jacob Waah: “Enjoy the people around you and treat others like you would want to be treated always!”

Elle Ash: “Be involved, go to events, find your true friends and make the most of your time here! So many people would do anything to be in your situation!”

Jake Smith: “Choose clubs, groups, and leadership roles that you love to do and have time to do. Don’t let things pile up just to pad your College Application.”

Olin Rose-Bardawil: “It might sound clichéd, but senior year will go faster than you can imagine, so make sure to work towards the things you would like to get done before you graduate and cherish every moment. Also, make sure you sleep!”

Peter Mahon: “Stay focused because every step you take now shapes who you become.”

Gus Brown: “Don’t judge your roommate before you get to know them.”

Amanda Yee: “Stay away from senioritis. You may think it doesn’t matter because you’ll never have to see these people again, but it still reflects who you are as a person.”

Max Elkin: “The challenges you face, no matter how hard, academic or social, will make you the person you’re meant to be.”

Hadyeh Saborouh: “Go to open mic nights, especially tandem open mic. Go with friends, sing, take the opportunity to make new friends and get out of your comfort zone. Sing Katy Perry or anything else with your friends. You’ll remember those nights forever”

Nevin Conroy: “Do what makes you happy, and if you don’t know what makes you happy, that’s fine, because that’s what high school is for.”