Freshman year has arrived! The first year of high school, crazy right? Many emotions might be running through your head, maybe excitement, maybe some worry. These emotions are completely normal. Everyone has experienced these emotions, too. I’m here to tell you a few things that I wish I knew before entering freshman year.
Don’t worry if you feel intimidated by the great number of older kids. Many of us have all experienced the same thing. Most people don’t care about what happens in the hallway. It’s not common for an upperclassman stranger to talk to you randomly; we all just want to get to class on time.
In the hallways, make sure to keep moving forward. The last thing people want in the hallway is someone standing still and blocking the way. You may have experienced that in your old school, but this time there’s way more people, so try to traverse the halls in an orderly fashion.
I know new classes, new teachers, and new students may seem kinda scary, but trust me, you’ll get used to it quickly. If you struggle finding your classroom, there are many adults in the hallway who could guide you. You could also ask an older student. Don’t be afraid to talk to them. It’ll be okay.
I know getting good grades might be a big goal, but don’t stress on it too much. Make sure to stay on top of your work, and you’ll be fine. Never procrastinate. Trust me on this. Procrastination will become a terrible habit that hurts grades and mental wellbeing. But again, it’s freshman year. You’re setting a foundation for your next years of high school, so make sure to balance schoolwork and your personal life. Just try your best.
Make new friends. You might have a class that you don’t really have any friends in. Instead of running away and trying to switch your class just to have friends, make new friends. You never know, you might find your best friend just from talking to people. If talking to new people isn’t your thing, don’t worry. You’ll still be able to make new friends. Don’t push people away when they try talking to you. Good friends come naturally, so don’t change yourself for someone else. If you act like yourself, you’ll naturally make friends.
I also highly recommend trying new things. Join clubs or do extracurriculars. This can be helpful especially for those who don’t know what they want to do when they grow up. Go to an interest meeting for a club or activity, and see if it’s interesting or seems fun. Even if it’s an activity outside of school, try something new, and that may be your next big thing in life. Even within our school, there are a bunch of clubs to choose from. If you have time, just pick one to go to.
You might need to find somewhere to sit during lunch. If it’s sunny out, I recommend eating in the quad. It’s really nice to feel free, getting sunlight and fresh air while eating lunch with your friends. Unless you run to the library before it becomes very full, when it’s raining or if it’s cold, I recommend finding a classroom that isn’t crowded and has a “Universal Lunch space” sign. Although it’s not my favorite, because of the noise and crowd, the cafeteria is another option. If you’re getting school lunch, you need to run immediately after third period to get to the lunch line. The line gets so long in just a few minutes. No worries if you don’t get there in time, though. The line typically moves pretty quickly if you find a person nearby to talk to.
It’s okay to feel nervous about the school year, but just know that everything will be okay in the end. There will be times where you may struggle, but trust me you will be able to get over it and recover so fast, because again it’s only freshman year. Try to have fun, try new things, make new amazing friends, and make freshman year a year to remember.
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