Starting a new chapter of your life, on your own, is no joke. Luis Pereda is a Sycamore graduate of the class of 2019 that can confidently attest to this. Only a couple of months ago, he was dropped off in a new school, a new room, and a new home. Leaving the one place you’ve known for so long is never easy and can seem frightening, However, once you give it some time, you’ll accommodate. If this past-senior can do it, so can you! 

How would you describe your transition from high school to college? 

“I thought the transition was going to be a lot worse than it actually was. I was worried about what college life would be like but I love it and I felt comfortable super quickly. If you can manage to find a group of people to open up a bit to and start to bond with the transition becomes less scary and a lot more fun.”

What is the one thing you miss most about home? 

“I miss being able to do nothing without feeling bad. I am always super busy here so taking time to just watch tv or listen to music doesn’t really happen. It was nice being at home for fall break to just watch tv and hang out with my family.”

Do you feel like Sycamore High School prepared you well for college? 

“I think Sycamore prepared me well for the difficulty of most classes but perhaps not for the workload. College is a crazy amount of work but I wouldn’t want high school to be like that because it would ruin part of the experience of being a kid.”

Is there anything you wish you could have done in high school in order to better prepare you for college?

“Working on time management is something I definitely could have improved on as well. Balance is so important in college and learning to keep your mind and body healthy is so important to allow you to keep up with your studies while still enjoying such an exciting time in life.”

What is your best advice to seniors this year who are feeling stressed about the upcoming transition? 

“Take time to forget about what’s coming next year. Enjoy your friends, embrace the high school experience because it’s something you don’t get back. Making the most out of the rest of those moments is so much more important than trying to prepare for the transition.”