High-Schoolers Get Tips From Future Selves

High School in the Community senior Amara Frazier-Conner sat across the table from her future self — in the form of recent grad Tyron Houston — to hear about how best to prepare over the next few months before beginning her own first semester in college.

Houston’s advice: Learn self-control, create study habits, don’t fall victim to peer pressure, and ​“get harder on yourself” now so you’re ready for the challenges of higher ed come September.

Houston, a 2018 HSC graduate and 2022 University of Connecticut graduate, offered those words of wisdom to Frazier-Conner and fellow 2023 HSC graduates-to-be during an alumni event hosted Thursday at the Water Street public high school.

During the meetup, juniors and seniors got the chance to ask recent HSC graduates what life has been like after high school. The students heard from more than a dozen alumni, some of whom got jobs directly after high school, some of whom are still students in college, and some of whom have already graduated from higher ed.

HSC Building Leader Cari Strand said Thursday’s gathering was designed to give current students an opportunity to learn from recent grads who have also lost out on in-person education time during their high school and college years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s a totally different world now, and these are the trailblazers,” Strand said. 

The current HSC students talked with recent HSC alumni about their high school experiences and about how they used that time to prepare for college or the work force.

Thursday’s event marked the latest in a years-long tradition at HSC of inviting former students back to the school to connect with current students. This week’s end-of-school-day gathering was organized by HSC Magnet Resource Teacher Dianna Carter.

"College Is No Joke"

The event took place over the course of two hours Thursday in the school’s ​“courtroom.”

The gathering began with a brief introduction period during which alumni and current students participated in icebreakers to kick conversations off and get to know one another. Alumni switched between tables filled with mostly upperclassmen and a few first years to talk about their college and life experiences after high school. 

“When you share, you inspire,” Strand reminded the alumni. 

At one table, HSC Class of 2022 HSC graduates Janaja Warren, Tatiana Rodriguez, and Samantha Sedgwick told a group of current students that ​“college is no joke.” 

They reflected on their personal journeys in college, which they described as fun but not for everybody.

Warren said she has learned from her college experience so far that it can be too overwhelming for some. ​“It’s really fun, but the freedom is different, because they don’t play,” she cautioned. 

In response to a question about some of the biggest challenges they’ve faced working their way through higher ed, the trio of graduates pointed to the high cost of college materials like books and digital homework programs. 

Partying ≠ Studying

At a separate table, current HSC seniors Charles Bestman, Sayniel Sawmadal, and Frazier-Conner talked with Houston about his experience graduating from HSC in 2018 and then spending his next four years studying at the UConn.

The group asked Houston if he considered attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU). He said while he was accepted to Howard University, he ultimately preferred to stay in state. He received a scholarship to attend UConn, which was his top choice. 

Houston warned the current HSC students more than once that ​“there’s no babying” in college and that deadlines are much stricter than in high school. 

“There’s no one in the halls in college telling you to get to class or even to do your homework,” Houston said. ​“You have to come to the realization early if you want to be smart that you’re paying for all of this, so you have to take it serious.”

Houston recalled getting high grades on all of his high school essays — and then getting an F on his first ever college paper. 

On the more festive side, one current HSC student asked Houston, ​“Are parties like in the movies?”

“They’re fun and there are like real parties, but you have to remember not to be peer pressured,” Houston said. 

Sayniel Sawmadal asked if Houston came from a strict household.

Houston, who is from New Haven, said he did come from a strict home. That caused him to have to learn once he got to college how to manage the new level of freedom he had. He said during his first year of college he struggled with this and found himself partying a lot. 

“Playing catch-up is the worst mistake you can make. So if you can build a strong foundation your freshmen year,” do it, Houston advised the group. 

As the first in his family to have graduated from college, Houston said, he struggled at times to balance school and fun. This was hard because he had no one in his family to ask how they once dealt with the challenge, he said. 

“For me, balance was understanding that the same friends you party with can’t be the same friends you study with,” Houston said. 

Bestman said he is looking at schools like Morgan State University, Howard University, and UConn to play football. 

Houston encouraged the group to consider the feasibility of tuition in their decision process because ​“debt is no joke.” 

“If you want to do sports, definitely chase your passion, but always have a back-up plan,” Houston told Bestman.

Houston also told the group about how they should come to college prepared to have large classes and long lectures or labs. He talked about the difficulties of adjusting after going from a small high school to college with some lecture halls having 600 students each.

Work-Study. Mental Health. Right Roommates

After spending the first half hour in small group conversations, the HSC alumni sat on a panel in the school’s courtroom to answer student questions about life after high school. 

Students asked about how to manage money in college and were given tips to get a job and to create a savings plan.

“Look into how you get a savings account and set goals for it now if you can,” HSC Class of 2021 grad Klariely Rodriguez said. 

Panelists spoke as well about balancing work with student schedules. The graduates’ experiences ranged from only working in the summer to working two or three jobs during the semester. 

Alumni encouraged current HSC students to seek out work-study jobs on campus to help pay for their annual tuition costs.

Final tips ranged from prioritizing mental health and being disciplined meeting deadlines to getting involved on campus and taking time to pick the right roommate. 

After the Thursday gathering with alumni, students were dismissed for the school day. 

Before catching their bus, seniors Charles Bestman, Sayniel Sawmadal, and Amara Frazier-Conner said they left the discussion with the alumni feeling motivated and excited for life after high school. 

“I know it’s not going to be easy, but I feel mostly ready,” Frazier-Conner said. 

The HSC alumni who participated in Thursday’s event included Tyron Houston, Kevin Miller, Khalif Johnson, Jamar Crawford, Angel Alvarez, Klariely Rodriguez, Thomas Sabin, Johanyx Rodriguez, Hallie Hushion, Benjamin Ziebell, Adrianna Henry, Samantha Sedgwick, Alyssa Findlay, Tatiana Rodriguez, Darrel Cargill, Janaja Warren, and Jason Oliveras. 

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