When I entered my freshman year, I remember being flustered and nervous, just like most of the other freshmen. I had so many questions, most of which were left unanswered. What was the course load like? How was being a freshman socially? What clubs should I join? Would I get lost in IHS?
In retrospect, asking questions was my remedy to the uncertainty of high school. While my experience as an apprehensive freshman was certainly unique to myself, the general uneasiness that I felt was representative of my overall class. So this is my insight—which is admittedly limited—as to how to better live through freshman year of high school at IHS and avoid panic, even when it may seem inevitable.
“Less is more”
Attempt to do less, but choose the extracurriculars you are most passionate about. In your life, think about the activities you don’t particularly enjoy. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you didn’t have to go to that rehearsal, play in that game, or complete that assignment? Now, imagine that you dropped that activity in its entirety. You would have more time. More time to do some of the other things that might interest you more.
Sometimes, this can mean giving up something that you’ve done for a long time. But frankly, it’s much more valuable to do the things that give you fulfillment rather than spreading yourself thin doing activities you don’t care about. Yes, giving up a sport or instrument that you’ve done for a long time can be intimidating, but without that sort of sacrifice, you won’t have time in a busy high school schedule to fit other pursuits in. However, before carelessly dropping commitments, make sure that you deliberate on the value of each of the activities in your life.
This can apply to other commitments as well. The friendship that has dragged on since elementary school might be replaced with someone new you meet in high school. Freshman year is frequently a time of changing friend groups and priorities. Don’t labor to be a part of a certain friend group or adjust your own priorities to the priorities of someone else. Instead, naturally find yourself being part of a community, one that hopefully feels right to you.
High school is full of sacrifice; try to make the right decisions and be fearless with your choices. After all, you’re only a freshman. You have time.
“Stay busy”
As someone who played a school sport last year, I found myself surprisingly more productive during the season than in the aftermath of the season. During the season, I would come home from practice and be forced to immediately finish my homework. However, after the season ended, I would procrastinate, eventually rushing to complete it. The lesson? Feeling overwhelmed actually forced me to complete my activities in the limited time that I had.
Some of the most frequent freshman advice I hear is along the lines of “take it slow your freshman year; you’re just a freshman.” However, perhaps the opposite is true. It is only by feeling your busiest during freshman year that you will force your own productivity. As a result, I would highly recommend participating in a school sport, joining multiple clubs, and working diligently on your schoolwork.
“Be genuine”
Don’t cheat. Do your work right and never participate in the casual cheating communities that will constantly pop up. Instead of cheating, ask your teacher for extensions. Many teachers give generous extensions without a penalty on your grade for the assignment. All too frequently, cheating becomes normalized. Don’t contribute to this normalization of dishonesty. Last year, our history class received increasingly difficult assignments due to the surfeit of cheating that occurred in the classroom. By cheating, you not only hurt yourself, but you also hurt others.
“Be healthy”
This is the most cliché advice of all time but is likely the most important. Getting a lot of sleep feels wonderful and your performance and personality will reflect the amount of time spent sleeping. Skipping meals and doing mindless searches on the Internet late at night will slowly sap you over time. Strive to be emotionally healthy too. Practice basic courtesy towards others, make sure to feel fulfilled with your routine, and make changes as necessary.
“Remember things”
The simplest of mistakes can lead to unfortunate consequences. Forgetting due dates, small assignments, or even permission slips can cost you. It is incredibly difficult to constantly stay on top of these assignments, so find a system that reliably works for you. Planners or reminders can prove to be helpful in this case. Make sure to be reliable when it comes to meeting friends or gathering for a group project. Show up and make it at the right time.
High school is difficult and there is no easy way around it. It will test your emotional capacity, organizational skills, and your academic prowess to an extent that you, as an incoming freshman, have never experienced before at school. High school can feel suffocating because it is such a constant in our lives. There are no breaks in high school. There is no escape. However, just as the upperclassmen before you, you will endure freshman year. How you endure it, whether you enjoy it, whether you are satisfied, and whether you grow from it is entirely up to you.