Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Best advice was just what I learned myself from being in high school, it's just most fun when you're being yourself, not trying to live up to any sort of standards (besides maybe grades, may wanna care about that) or reputation, just as long as you're happy, high school should be that much more tolerable

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Lad you should just be sociable and become friendly, if not friends with everyone in your year. If your just starting highschool then everyone else is as well and you will probably be able to find some people you like. Overall don't create bad blood between anyone since you're there to have fun and learn - fighting is for video games

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

don't skip classes. They give you more freedom than you had in y1-8, don't abuse it.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Try to be sociable and don't skip classes. I'm sure someone has said this already but eh.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

as a 30 year old man i remember my biggest mistake was letting myself think going to highschool was some huge endeavor in comparison to where i was. it ended up being pretty chill once i settled in. so my advice would be don't build it up too much in your head. it doesn't have to be a big ordeal at all the transition.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

This will be somewhat long-winded as it contains personal anecdotes, TL;DR at the end.

Where I went to school the classes were separated by merit, normal classes, AP classes which try to "prepare" you for college, and gifted classes. When I was young (elementary) I was put in gifted classes but eventually left because I hated homework and gifted classes give lots of homework. I regretted that decision when I hit high school as I started looking to the future.

When I was put into freshman year of high school I went through in the normal classes, but realized to better my future I should aim higher. So towards the end of freshman year I went to one of the school counselors and inquired about being moved up into AP classes next year. They were very against it because my grades freshman year were sub-par. But once I explained to them that it was because I did little homework and 0 projects but still managed to pass, and when I told them I would put in more effort in harder classes, they relented and let me do one AP course to test me. Well I passed with a good grade and was allowed to take more AP classes.

Why I mention this to you: if your school has this separation of classes and you have the drive to succeed in those classes, it will be to your benefit in every way.

First off, the kids in each type of class act totally different from each other. Normal course students tended to be rowdy, have their own cliques, and class had the chance to be boring.

AP course students were more open to each other, there were still cliques but less obvious at a glance, and classes were more often interesting and light-hearted than not. I had some really personable and charismatic teachers in these classes, as well as made most of my friends there.

Gifted classes (from my limited childhood experience) invoke mixed feelings from me. The work load is harsh. The teachers tend to lean more on the serious side. Students had the chance to be enigmatic, jaded, or kept to themselves, oddly enough, I was friends with everyone in those classes (albeit there were small amounts of students). The course work was incredibly stimulating even in elementary school, and we often were taken on academic field trips that lasted days to various parts in the state, which was fun as FUCK. Some of my favorite childhood memories.

To sum this up; normal classes were not very hospitable and I had a tough time even talking to people in there. AP classes were kind of an in-between, I didn't feel comfortable approaching certain groups but I made all my long-time friends in those classes, people were more reasonable. Gifted classes require certain kinds of people with a certain kind of grindset.

TL;DR:
If you can manage to get into AP classes and thrive, I'd say you'll be more likely to make friends, your school merits will be higher and school life will be harder academically but easier socially. You'd also meet cooler teachers!

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

If there's any sports you enjoy, make sure to make the best of them and those moments, cause sadly, if you don't get into a collegiate league, you'll basically never play that way ever again. this is coming from a depressed soccer player.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Don't skip class.
Don't try to fit in. Be yourself and attract the right ones around you.
All the social cliques you witness now will more than likely not stick together in the long run.
Don't let people push you around.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

You have plenty of great advice already, but I'll just add on to press the importance of simply being yourself and learning to adapt well to new settings as long as you're sticking to your true nature.

I was fairly awkward as a teenager, so it was a lot of tough learning for me, and I felt pressured into doing a lot of things I never would have done without feeling like I 'needed' to be accepted.

The true, genuine friends I had never pressured me into situations where I had to push from my comfort zone while the ones I did feel pressured by always had a falling out with me, and it was never worth forcing myself through situations I never wanted to be part of.

I was not necessarily a good student, and I do regret not applying myself a little more. Thankfully it doesn't reflect to how I am now, but I wish I would have been more disciplined as a teenager to brace myself more for the discipline the real world requires. Even if the subjects may not ultimately be relevant to my future. Try to find activities that are pleasant to you that you can easily be involved with to build those fond memories for the future and practice those positive social skills.

You'll be just fine, good luck and enjoy!!

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

If I had a say/choice in re-doing my high school years, I would say "Have more confidence in yourself and your gut in what is correct".

Reminder that those around you are just as insecure, and thinking of the exactly same things as you are. If you find something in someone that you can relate to, be forward about it, bite the bullet and be the one to open up the dialogue. Worst that happens is awkwardness no less than what you've seen in middle school. They're going to be just as shy towards doing it, or will have to make a similar gesture/move towards you. Take advantage of that. Grow some confidence in yourself, and put your best foot forward and others may just put their best foot back.

Same involving your gut in what is correct. If someone else is putting their best foot forward and you feel like it's wrong, have some confidence in yourself to say no. Saying no is perfectly fine, and you don't typically need a reason or even need to expand on why.

"Friendships are two people, one putting in 60% and the other putting in 40%, but both are trying to be the one with 60%."

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

I should be heading to bed now, I have to wake up at 6 AM (which is an hour earlier than 8th grade lol)

Thanks for the tips! I'll update after the first day

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Some practical tips to tack on <3

-Know where each of your classes are beforehand. There's always that freshman who walks into the wrong class because they got lost.

-Don't be that kid who runs in the hallways to get to their next course!

-Pick out a spot to meet up with your friends during the lunch break, it can be chaotic to find people in an unfamiliar environment. (extra tip: try bringing your own lunch sometimes because waiting in those lines can eat up half of your break time).

-Try to finish any homework as soon as you get home while you're still in school-mode, or you'll procrastinate and end up not doing it/finishing at 3 in the morning...or right before class starts.

- Homework may seem boring and trivial but simply turning in assignments will improve your grades significantly. As someone who often missed assignments in early high school because of perfectionist anxiety, some of the best advice I can give is that a half-completed assignment is better than a zero.

-You don't have to make a million friends, but try and find a solid group of a few people who you'll know will have your back no matter what, they're out there.

Above all else, be kind. Kids are often going through a lot more than they let on. If you see someone being ostracized or bullied even a smile or a word of acknowledgment could change someone's life.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

Bonus tip:

As you start to adapt more to high school, please try not be one of those students that thinks they know everything. This might not be the case for you since it is your first year, but it becomes more common as you start to get closer to your senior year. One of the biggest thing I struggled with in high school was having this perception that most of the teachers in my school didn't know anything. This is a terrible mindset to have and can also hold you back.

Re: Freshman Year of HS starts tommorow

edge of my seat for this update tbh