Senior column: Writer offers advice, motivational tips to underclassmen

Brooke Murphree

The image above was staged by junior Lauren Clayton and taken by columnist and senior Brooke Murphree. “As a senior in ENO, I was given the task of writing a senior column. I was told it could be anything and didn’t have to focus on my school experience,” Murphree said. “I wanted it to have something to do with my time at PHS, so I thought about it the way I do about everything else, by hand, writing down my thoughts with pops of color.”

I have attended Prosper ISD for the past nine years. My accomplishments are small but they contribute to the accomplishment that is Prosper’s school district. The last four years of my high school career have been topsy-turvy in the most unconventional ways. My freshman year was cut short due to the pandemic, and my sophomore year had been done completely in my pajamas and from my bed. Junior year was the line between normality and chaos. Things hadn’t as strict these last two years and thus this year, my final year, was the most normal one of my high school experience.

I have learned many things over these last few years and I’d like to share just a few notes that might help you keep your sanity throughout the rest of your high school years.

Music

Music will undoubtedly become your best friend. It’s a stimulant for the brain when learning, or at least in my opinion it is. I don’t know anything professionally, but I know that I and a few others focus better when blocking out the outside. The only thing is knowing when it needs to be put away, aka when a teacher is talking, otherwise it’s a losing situation and not a risk worth losing your electronic privileges over. My favorite thing about music is hearing the messages, bouncing to the beat and humming along. There are certain songs I like that aren’t very popular- I like country music, 2000’s music, 80’s/90’s, but I also still listen to Disney songs when I’m sad or theme songs of childhood shows I loved.

Don’t be afraid someone won’t like your favorite type or genre, because in a school as diverse in pop culture as this, there are bound to be a few people who appreciate it. One of the best things about listening to music and creating playlists are the vibes and emotions. Playlists will become the best way of organization because having songs that get you feeling a certain way helps keep you focused. It’s my number one recommendation for starting the day as right as you can when you wake up earlier than 10:30.

Anxiety

Anxiety and fear are two very prominent beings that usually accompany us hand in hand. They’ve been in this world longer than the British empire has been a thing. They’re two completely normal feelings to have at this point in a person’s life, when uncertainty is most present and expectations are set higher than the Empire State building. This year has been tougher than my last few – better, but tougher, and that because I feel as though I’ve been balancing too much when in reality it’s a smaller load than I know others are standing under. Four words I never got to hear too often are “It’s okay to cry.” And since nobody told me, I’m telling you right now.

Happier Notes

On a happier note, Dolly Parton once said, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” If you want to graduate, you gotta put in the work throughout these four years. Find a good work ethic for you, every brain works in a different way. If chaos is how you get it done, then be disorganized, but still follow through on assignments. Don’t let people try to make you do it their way, because you won’t make it very far on other methods if it goes the wrong way. Be creative, it always works out. Last quarter will most likely be the toughest to survive through, it was for me, because ‘senioritis’ hits hard when less than nine weeks are left until freedom. In this case, routines are the only way to survive no matter how tired you are of homework and school.

Perks

Once you’ve made it from freshman to sophomore to junior and finally senior year there are perks to making it so far. First, there’s senior lunches. You get all of F and G lunch as long as you make it back to the school in time for 4th/8th period if you have it. But that brings me to my second point, seniors get the privilege of have two free periods- one a day. Some of my favorite moments this year were meeting with my friends for lunch. We mostly just reflected on our past classes and had a few laughs and giggles. If there’s one thing Prosper succeeds at, it’s assisting in establishing friendships. I’m not the most social person, but every year I manage to make friends in classes where I started out alone and I’m glad I did. There are a few things I’d wish I’d done differently every year but it has all led me to now, aka the final two weeks I’ll have to be here at all. So, I’m okay with that.

Therefore, I finish off my rant with my final words of wisdom that are from Charlie Chaplin: “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Have fun and don’t worry too much about what’s next, because things in this day and age are too unpredictable, and not worth the worry and panic.

All the best,

Brooke.