Lucia Stein ’18 may be a senior, but she’s still figuring life out. In her own words, she’s “winging it.”

“[I wanted] to be inspirational and have you thinking for days and help you achieve incredible academic success,” the Cum Laude Society member told the Lawrence Academy community during April 11’s Winter Term Academic Awards Assembly.

While writing her speech, Lucia realized she couldn’t quite achieve that goal — but she could share a few strategies she’s learned during her time at LA “that make the process of figuring life out a little less daunting.”

“From what I can tell, these tips are not only good for high school but for life,” Lucia said. “But then again, I’m only 18. Like I said, I’m winging it.”

Lucia Stein’s 4 Strategies for Successfully “Winging It”

#1. Engage. Lucia stressed to her classmates and the underclassmen the importance of “truly paying attention” — in the classroom and in life — and finding a way to “be invested,” even in the things that don’t seem all that interesting or relevant.

“Things are just generally more interesting if you involve yourself,” she noted. “And, frankly, finding ways to be interested is easier than faking it.”

#2: Find a Balance. Whether it means learning to focus more on schoolwork and extracurriculars or more on yourself and your relationships with others, balance is essential. Lucia admits that this strategy is still one she struggles with herself.

“I won’t pretend to know what I’m doing,” she said, “but I will say that keeping your goal in mind… makes success in academics [or elsewhere] far easier to achieve.”

#3. Find What Works for You. Everyone is different: We enjoy different activities, we come from different backgrounds, and we learn differently. And high school, Lucia shared, “is a good time to figure out who you are… in terms of how your mind functions.”

“No learning or working style is better than another, but there’s nothing more useful than knowing how to set yourself up for success,” she said, adding that parents, friends, teachers, and advisors can all be great assets in learning how you work:

“Everyone has their own style, and finding it doesn’t need to be a solo thing.”

#4: Ask for Help. Speaking of parents, friends, teachers, and advisors, Lucia praised LA’s “incredible faculty,” admonishing the underclassmen, “They are here to help you succeed.”

“But they can’t do that,” she added, “if you don’t ask.”

It’s especially important to follow this tip, Lucia noted, when “life happens.”