Dear Freshmen,
Welcome to IHS! Everything might seem crazy and complicated right now, but that’s okay! Everything takes a bit of time to get used to, but once you do, freshman year can be one of the best. Here are my best tips for having a successful year.
Don’t Get Too Stressed About Grades:
Although your grades start to get more important this year, there is no need to start worrying about the future yet. This year is the perfect year to find out what works for you. Try out different study methods until you find one that works well for you. Teachers (and some students) often exaggerate the importance of grades in your future life. In reality, one or two bad grades will not shatter your future. That being said, you should still take school somewhat seriously. Try and do your best work, but don’t get too stressed out if you have a couple of bad grades.
Find Your People:
Freshman year is the year with the least amount of homework and pressure from extracurricular activities, so enjoy it! I definitely wish I did more in my ninth grade year. Use your time to be social and meet new people. A lot of people recommend joining clubs for this exact reason. In clubs, you can easily meet students from different grade levels who are interested in the same things you are. Your friend group might change a lot this year, and that’s perfectly normal, but make sure to stay close to the friends who truly care about you and make you happy.
Be Mindful:
Even though IHS has over one thousand students, your personal influence can still be very noticeable. For example, during Universal Lunch, the hallways get very crowded very quickly, so make sure to walk fast and not clog up the hallways. Everyone is busy, and some people need to walk all the way across campus in only a few minutes. You don’t want to be the one person who is stopping everyone from getting to class. There are also some privileges that are reserved for seniors or upperclassmen, like H-Courtyard and specific events. Although it might feel like you’re missing out, make sure to respect these spaces and events. Just remember, in a few years you will get those privileges as well!
Nobody Cares:
Although your impact will be noticed if you are being disruptive, everyone is busy and doesn’t have time to worry about small mistakes you make. So, don’t worry too much about moments that feel embarrassing to you. Getting an answer wrong in class or getting lost in E-Hallway can feel super embarrassing, but the people around you probably didn’t even notice or will completely forget within the next hour. Use this freedom to your advantage! Express yourself a bit more, try a new outfit that’s a little outside your comfort zone, or wear your hair differently. I know it’s a cliche, but you can really express yourself more in high school than you could in middle school, so just go for it.
I wish you all the best for your first year at IHS,
Mathilde van Osselaer
P.S. If you have any more questions, or need some more tips, feel free to reach out at mv5@icsd.k12.ny.us