Dear Incoming Freshman,
I am compiling a list of things to know before starting my freshman year of high school. Hopefully this will ease some of your angst. High school is about figuring yourself out, finding out your limits, and doing your best academically. Rest assured that the best is yet to come. Here are some of my starting high school tips.
Don’t Worry – Here’s What to Do:
1. Worried about whom to sit with at lunch?
Remember that everyone is in the same boat. So your worry about not having any friends to sit with at lunch is everyone else’s too. What to do: Don’t give it a second thought until you figure out your friends’ schedules. If none of them have your lunch period, put it off until the big day. When lunch comes, look around the cafeteria to see if there are any familiar faces. Chances are there will be, but if not it can make for a great opportunity to meet new people. Be brave. Find a friendly table to approach. High school isn’t usually as catty as in the movies, so who is going to deny you a seat?
2. Worried about keeping your grades up without going crazy?
Stay on top of assignments and never leave studying for the last minute. What to do: Make sure to develop good relationships with your teachers. In my experience, if they know that you are a hard worker who tries your best, they will want to help you succeed. Always go to your teachers for help if you are struggling with a project, or are not sure what to study for an upcoming test. If they see you putting in the effort to ask for help, they will hopefully put in the effort to help you grasp the material.
3. Worried about being pranked?
There are school policies put in place to prevent freshman hazing. But just in case, know where your principal’s office is. In my experience, hazing is just a rumor. What to do: I suggest that you join a sport or a club. Being on my school’s drill team was the best thing for me. It was an instant way to make new friends. Some older girls on the team even showed me around before school started since I was worried about getting lost. It is like an immediate support network!
