Dear freshman, your resume can wait

Davy Thomas, Aashi Panchal, and Yug Talukdar • March 3, 2026

In high school, students may be pressured to prepare for college and choose related co-curriculars and extracurriculars in their freshman year. The Sidekick staff photographer Davy Thomas, staff writer Aashi Panchal and editor-in-chief Yug Talukdar think freshmen should choose a variety of activities. Photo illustration by Shrika Elma and Karen Mascarenhas

“Dear Freshmen” is a series where a sophomore, junior and senior staff member each give personal anecdotes along with advice about a certain topic with the aim of helping the incoming sophomores and current freshmen.

In this edition of Dear Freshman, The Sidekick staffers advise about choosing non-academic activities and its importance, whether or not you know what to pursue after high school.

Davy Thomas - Staff Writer/Photographer

Coppell ISD is a goldmine of careers. There are countless classes to take, clubs to join and organizations to be a part of.

So it is quite strange to me how what you join first is what you’ll be doing until graduation.

I was a trumpet player in the Coppell Middle School East band. I made it to seventh chair in the honor winds band, and even got to compete at the University at North Texas.

But as great as the band was, the only thing I ever wanted to do was leave it.

I joined in sixth grade just to get my fine arts credit. Playing an instrument was more interesting than going to an art class. I stayed for seventh grade to keep in touch with my band friends, and stayed in eighth since I made it to honor winds.

But the band, even in middle school, was not a casual “just for fun band.” It was filled with constant competition.

Every year I told myself I would put in more effort. But, because of the harder classwork in each grade I never did. I was in the top band of the school, but I was not enjoying any of it.

I eventually left the band in ninth grade, and I’m glad I did. The Coppell band programs are incredible for those with a passion for music, but that is not who I am.

Extracurriculars for the credit can be useful, but you should not let it define your interests. If you end up in a club you could not care less about, do not feel obligated to stick around because you are already in it.

Coppell High School is the perfect place to find what you care about. Do not let it bog you down with programs you are not passionate about.

Aashi Panchal, Staff Writer

Coming into Coppell High School presents a unique opportunity for students to be part of extracurricular activities to build their skillset.

But more often than not, I see students limiting themselves to only activities that follow their career path. Aspiring health science students join HOSA while business students join DECA, but they do not even consider activities they enjoy or learn from outside these clusters.

When I started high school, I made the mistake of following that path. I aspired to go into the medical field in college and immediately made the decision to join organizations in the health science cluster. My freshmen year was full of committing to activities that I didn’t necessarily enjoy or see the impact in.

However, my sophomore year presented a change for me. Joining The Sidekick exposed me to a different experience. Though journalism or communications was not on my radar as a career, The Sidekick helped me develop crucial skills: collaboration, time management and building relationships.

It also gave me a community. I met new people and made close friends; ones sharing my love of writing and telling stories. Community is an underrated aspect of choosing extracurricular activities, but building relationships, networking and connection are valuable opportunities.

When choosing activities, do not fall down the rabbit hole of choosing ones only related to what you want to do after high school. If something captures your interest, try it. It presents an opportunity to try something new and grow.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll change your career aspirations while you’re at it.

Yug Talukdar, Editor-In-Chief

Many students at Coppell High School come into high school with a clear path, exactly sure of what they plan to do. However, this might not be you, and that is OK.

High school should be a time of development. Non-academic time should reflect exploration and growth rather than resume padding.

It is important to build general skills such as communication, leadership and civic awareness over a hyper-specialized portfolio that does not serve you outside of a certain field. I am not saying to stray away from career specific activities, but rather advocating for a balance many forget.

Being a well-rounded person is more important for life than winning competitions or reinforcing a resume.

Use your time to explore different activities, both available in school and also opportunities outside of it. Do not limit yourself for a future that cannot be perfectly set out.

As someone who does not plan to go into communications or journalism during college, I confidently believe The Sidekick has been one of the best experiences for me. It allows me to learn how to operate under pressure, lead people and communicate effectively.

Choosing to build these skills alongside a certain degree of specificity helps someone stand out in a world where people are obsessed with certainty. Pick a few activities achieving this balance, and put your full effort into them.

Life is not a constant; it flows and changes. Building a solid foundation is one of the most important things one can do in high school.

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About the Contributors

Davy Thomas, Staff Writer

Davy (David) Thomas is a first year photographer & writer at The Sidekick. He joined the program to improve at telling stories and to find the events that would have gone unnoticed. While mostly writing in news, has also been taking up photography to capture these events. Outside of The Sidekick, Davy is an avid enjoyer of music, his favorite album being Jamrioquai’s Return of the Space Cowboy. He has started a physical media collection of CD’s and vinyls since December and is excited to see it grow. Additionally, he currently owns a cat named Coco, who is only 1-year-old. you can reach him through [email protected].

Aashi Panchal, Staff Writer

Aashi Panchal is a junior at Coppell High School and second-year staff writer on The Sidekick. Though she joined to pursue her passion of writing, Aashi has expanded her horizons to include photography and videography as well. When she’s not working on stories, you’ll probably find her curating her perfect earring stack on Pinterest, binge watching procedural dramas on TV or grabbing a coffee with her friends. You can contact Aashi at [email protected] or on Instagram (@_aashipanchal_).

Yug Talukdar, Executive Editor-in-Chief

Yug Talukdar is a senior at Coppell High School and the editor-in-chief of The Sidekick. After deciding to delve into something new sophomore year, Yug found an interest in writing and covering events for The Sidekick, which has helped him develop a new skills and become a better, more well-rounded person. When he finds some downtime, Yug enjoys lifting weights, running, reading, or learning more about history and politics. You can contact him at [email protected] or on Instagram (@yugtalukdar)

Coppell Student Media

Coppell Student Media

Coppell Student Media

Dear freshman, your resume can wait

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