Advice for the Class of 2023

Tarmac Editor-in-Chief Reflects on His Four Years at Chaminade High School

By J. Alex Garcia ‘23

So, you’ve made it! With an acceptance letter in hand, you are officially a member of Chaminade High School’s Class of 2027. While this transition to high school may be intimidating, it is not as difficult as you might believe. 

In order to truly experience Chaminade, a guiding principle that many students follow is, “you don’t always want to take the early bus home.” Chaminade has a wide range of extracurricular activities for you to participate in. Taking advantage of extracurriculars will help you to delve deeper into, or maybe even discover, your passions and interests. It will also help you make new friends, which is particularly important for freshmen.

Sports are among the best ways to meet new people and form close friendships with classmates. Even if you have never played a team sport, it is never too late to try out for one of Chaminade’s 18 athletic teams, which range from football and basketball to crew and riflery.  

I also highly recommend joining at least one club. Whether you are interested in app development, history, or medicine, there is surely a club that will accommodate your interests and allow you to meet like-minded students. Usually clubs will have orientation meetings at the beginning of the school year; however, students can join a club at any point throughout the year.  Even if you did not attend the “sign-up” meetings, the club moderators and upperclassmen will welcome you once you arrive. Step out of your comfort zone and try something completely new! That is what high school clubs are all about, and many club moderators will be happy to help you throughout your career as a Chaminade student. 

For those looking for academic advice: do your homework. Yes, as stereotypical as this piece of advice is, it is essential for you to know upon arriving in September. Doing your homework on time is one of the easiest ways to keep your grade up in a class and help you prepare for quizzes and tests. It will also keep you out of Academic Deficiency in room 21 after school! Furthermore, if you utilize the time provided to you during your study halls, as well as practice responsible workload management, you will seldom find yourself doing work or studying late at night.

Now you might believe that engaging in sports and clubs while also maintaining academics will be challenging; however, it is quite the opposite. Too much free time may lead to a “void,” where you procrastinate on schoolwork because there is so much time on your hands. Coming home later and participating in these activities will leave you with less time to get your homework done, making it more of a priority and leaving less room for procrastination.

What makes Chaminade distinct from other Catholic schools is that it does not have a set uniform for its students, but rather a dress code requiring all students to maintain the appearance of “a classic well-dressed young man.” This means you will be coming to school dressed in a jacket, tie, dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes. While this may differ from what you are used to—whether you are coming from a private school with a uniform or a public school without one—getting used to the dress code is quite easy. While it may be challenging to be dressed professionally every day, it will help prepare you for future instances where you will be expected to prepare a professional outfit for a job interview or formal event. 

Unlike a uniform, however, the dress code does leave room for some customization. You may want to wear seasonal ties from time to time to correspond with your favorite holiday, or wear dress socks with Star Wars designs on them. I would recommend investing in some unique ties and dress socks before coming to school—it is great to have fun with some customization! 

Your freshman year at Chaminade High School will be a year filled with “news”: new friends, new opportunities, and a new life, among many other things. There is a lot the Chaminade experience has to offer, so do not be afraid to try something new throughout your four years here.

Welcome to the Chaminade family, Class of 2027!