What We Wish We Knew Before Grade 12

Written by Ella Toffoletto
Edited by Jane Ling
Cover Image by Elena Chen

As a current Grad entering the back half of her final year at Havergal, I often find myself reflecting on my time at this school. After three years of COVID-19 obstructing our high school experience, I, for one, entered into my senior year feeling knowledgable about the expectations of grade 12, but underprepared. None of my friends who had graduated while I was in high school had gotten an at-all normal senior year and had little to advice that was applicable.. So now that I, and most other Grade 12s, have settled into our final year in high school, I took some time to compare my Grade 12 year till now to what I had expected back in Grades 11, 10, or even 9. Suffice it to say, there are a multitude of things I wish I could tell past me so I would be better prepared. To see if others felt the same, I spoke to some of my fellow grads at Havergal to find out what they wish they had known before entering Grade 12. 

Let's start simple: when asked what helped prevent them from getting too overwhelmed this year, they said to be proactive. Before getting to Grade 12, get involved in things you are passionate about. Having a good foundation (clubs, sports, study habits)  as well as peers and teachers who share your same interests help students figure out what classes they want to take, what programs they want to apply to, and what the next steps are to follow this passion outside of Havergal. And if you're not sure what you are passionate about, or what you want to do, that's okay! It’s important to reassure yourself that you’ll have time for all of that in college, or wherever you move onto. In addition, many grads suggested developing good study habits. Learn how to properly study and how to make good notes early on so that when you get to Grade 12, you already have a system in place that works for you, as some prefer to write out practice questions for each lesson, others find it more valuable to make study notes. Similarly, keep a calendar or something that helps you track your homework, due dates, and other important information. When you reach Grade 12, dates and timelines become more important than ever. University application deadlines, decision dates, tour or speaker dates, all on top of our usual tests, projects, and extracurricular activities are just some of the things that occupy our agendas. Without writing them down, it becomes too much, too fast. The earlier you establish these positive work habits, the better and easier they will be to maintain in the future as it helps with time management, and makes stress and anxiety generated by school more easy to manage. 

Now, let's shift to more Havergal Grade 12 specific advice from those of us going through it. Once you reach your senior year, the school dynamic you’re used to shifts. You’re given more independence and more responsibility, teachers and parents know that this is a big year and are empathetic, but most decisions rest on you. Independence means more in-class work periods and fewer check-ins on assignments, and responsibilities means more autonomy and self governance. It's easy to fall into the trap of putting off work during those work periods however, using these times to study helps immensely with your workload. This time is given because teachers know how much extra work university prep and Grade 12 in itself is and they want to help you. Around the time of university submissions and deadlines, teachers are willing to be more flexible. If you know you have a bad week, don’t be afraid to speak with your teachers and they will do their best to help you. It is also imporant to remember that we, students, are not the only busy ones. Work for university differs on a case-by-case basis, but most students will need to ask their teachers for letters of recommendation; if this is you, make these choices earlier rather than later. Teachers have tons to do as well, and last minute recommendation requests are not helpful to either of you. University applications are much more stressful in theory than in reality, as long as you make sure to know important dates and stay on top of it, you’ll be able to manage just fine. Oh, and please do not do what we all did and procrastinate reading your English novels – they won’t magically shrink the longer you wait to start. 

I know that all of this can sound intimidating, and it is intimidating. Simultaneously, trying to set a good example as a leader at Havergal while also trying to find your place beyond it is very difficult. But, it is crucial to remind yourself that it's okay to feel overwhelmed at times, because everyone has. Grads I spoke to wanted to stress that feeling unsure is okay and normal, and remember to breathe and take time to rest. Not to get philosophical on you, but this is a journey that is unique to each person. No one can tell you which classes, study strategy, or path is best for you; however, hopefully the advice given today provides you with the best tools to figure these out yourself.