Starting high school sort of feels like you’ve moved to a new country without knowing their culture or customs. Your grades suddenly hold a lot of weight; the upperclassmen are intimidating and, surprise, it’s time to figure out what your life-long passion is.
While many high schoolers may seem to know what they’re doing, the truth is, most of them don’t.
Consider this to be your unofficial survival guide from someone who’s already made the mistakes for you. I’ll be like your older sister, here to give you honest tips about getting through these next four years.
Pay attention in class
You don’t have to love every class you take, but each one does count toward your grade. Besides, paying attention from the first lesson is much easier than zoning out and having to re-teach yourself the unit the night before the test. Your future self will be very grateful you listened.
Stay on top of your work
Busy work may not seem important until you skip a few assignments and suddenly, your grade drops an entire letter. Plus, teachers notice when you stay consistent instead of cramming and turning in all your assignments right before the late-work deadline. They’re always more lenient to students who regularly get their work done on time.
Balance your schedule
While having a schedule full of AP and dual credit classes is beneficial to both your future college applications and your Grade Point Average (GPA), it’s also the quickest way to burn yourself out. Two or three challenging classes per year are plenty. Try to balance hard classes with electives and classes you actually enjoy.
Pro tip: Getting required classes out of the way early is a lifesaver. Your senior year self will not be very happy sitting through PE or a language class that your classmates finished years ago.
Try new things
Choose classes you’re actually interested in. High school is one of the only times in life when you can explore different avenues with zero consequences, and having at least one class every day that you genuinely enjoy makes a world of difference. And in every area of life, please try new things. You’re allowed to try a new sport, club or activity and decide that it’s not right for you (or maybe it is!).
Remember: your grades do matter. Freshman year grades set the foundation for your GPA, and fixing it later is much harder than keeping it steady from the start. This isn’t meant to scare you, though; it’s okay not to get A’s.
But your grades don’t define you. Yes, your grades matter. But you are more than your GPA. Kindness, creativity, empathy, curiosity and more matter, too.
Pay attention to deadlines
Procrastination feels great… until it doesn’t. It’s easy to find excuses or ignore future deadlines. “If it’s not due today, why would I do it?” Well, it’s a lot less fun when it’s 10 p.m., you have two tests tomorrow, and you just remembered you have another assignment due tonight. Everyone procrastinates sometimes, but don’t make it a habit. It’s a rabbit hole that’s very hard to get out of.
Pro tip: Remember to charge your Chromebook.
Your teachers are crucial
Asking questions can be scary, and many students think they’ll be judged or ridiculed. But if you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask. If you’re confused about something, there’s a good chance that someone else is in your shoes, too.
Your teachers want you to understand and succeed. Their job is to guide you. However, it’s important to note that teachers are much more willing to help you when you ask early. Stop by the classroom during Flex, lunch, one of their prep periods, after school or send them an email. Teachers appreciate when students make an effort, and getting help early makes a huge difference.
Let this also be a reminder to respect your teachers: they are people, too. Being rude or making fun of them does you no good. And remember, come senior year, you’ll need them to write you a letter of recommendation!
Talk to upperclassmen
Juniors and seniors aren’t as scary as you think. As a freshman, I was terrified of the upperclassmen. Now that I’m a senior, I’m more than happy to help. Upperclassmen are the best source of real information about classes and teachers, and 100% more honest than any course description. If they tell you that a class has an intense workload or is boring, believe them.
Please do not walk slowly in the hallway, and stick to the right side
This one is important. Passing periods are crowded, and the hallway is chaotic. With people trying to get places quickly, if your four friends are walking side-by-side at 0.1 miles per hour in the middle of the hallway, know that everyone behind you is praying for your downfall.
Basic hygiene matters
This should go without saying. Please shower, wear deodorant and limit strong perfumes or colognes. Your classmates will appreciate it. Good hygiene is less about your appearance and more about basic respect for the people around you.
Sleep is not optional
You might think you can function on three hours of sleep and a Celsius, but your brain and body strongly disagree. Not only is getting seven to nine hours of sleep crucial for teenage development, but being well-rested helps with focus, memory and mood.
Your friend group will probably change
This is completely normal. People grow, change interests and meet new people across all four years. It doesn’t have to mean you or anyone else did something wrong. Everyone is figuring themselves out and might need more space to do so.
Be nice to people outside your friend group
Kindness goes a long way. Being friendly and respectful to your classmates, teachers and strangers will make the school’s environment better and usually comes back in positive ways. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make a new friend.
Drama does not matter
I know what happened between Ashley and Jessica feels really important right now, but in two weeks, it won’t matter. Drama is stressful and usually unimportant. Don’t get involved; if you can, avoid it—it never brings anything positive.
Popularity doesn’t matter either
High school popularity is blown way out of proportion in the media, but it eventually fades. Even though popularity might feel overbearing at first, it’s best to focus on solidifying friendships and doing what you enjoy, instead of worrying about what everyone else thinks.
And try to enjoy it (it feels like a party every day – Jessie)
High school feels like forever when you’re living it, but it goes by much faster than you expect. I can’t believe that I only have a few more months of high school—it feels like freshman year just happened, and I’m certainly not the only one who feels this way.
Go to games, join clubs, try new classes and spend time with friends. You don’t have to get everything right the first time. No one does.
Just try your best, be kind to people, ask for help when you need it and be considerate in the hallway.
