My brother asked me to write down everything I know about high school for him. I got to thinking about what I could write for him and I realized other people his age are probably wondering the same thing. Here is what I feel all freshman should know before they enter high school:
Things are about to change.
Yes, you’re at the bottom of the totem pole again. At the first pep rally you go to, the upper classmen will be screaming, “FRESHMEAT” at you, but don’t worry, because everyone goes through that experience. What I’m really talking about is that you’re going to change.
Don’t get a locker.
Just don’t. You don’t have time.
Your grades are important.
Your grades are uber important now! You really need to understand this. They. Are. Important. In middle school you just kind of did what you wanted and didn’t study… ever. I know, I’ve been there. None of it mattered though, because you didn’t have anything to work towards other than making it to the next grade. However, now that you’re in high school, your GPA shows if you’ll be getting into the college you want and if you’ll be getting any scholarships.
While we are on scholarships...
These are so important. Let me make this clear: it is never too early to start applying and looking for scholarships. Ever. I started sophomore year and I didn’t win any for a really long time. I started getting really discouraged thinking that maybe my grades weren’t good enough or I wasn’t good enough as a person. Senior year, after a few years of practice, I started to watch as those scholarships came rolling in. There is nothing that will make you happier than to see a scholarship letter/email in your mailbox. Just keep trucking along till you start winning!
Learn how to study.
Not everyone can study the same way, so learn what works for you. Notecards, taking notes, reading a textbook, or just rereading anything you got in class that day will help so much.
Go to the in-school activities.
I hated going because it was always so loud and it was too crowded so I found teachers who let me hide in their classrooms during big school functions. You know, that’s just what worked for me, but I heard so many of my friends tell me hilarious stories that I had missed out on because I didn’t go. I did go to a few of the big functions and they were usually fun because you sat with friends, talked, and (most importantly) got out of class for an hour or two.
Take an AP class or 2.
All right, I’ll admit I didn’t pass every AP exam I took, but that’s OK. I look back now and I greatly appreciate the fact that I did take them. You learn so much. You learn how to handle a bigger work load, how to study, and you learn how to manage your time better. I am so glad I took one my tenth grade year. That class was probably the hardest class I’ve ever taken in my life, but I made it through it! AP classes will not only give you credit for college classes now (and at a cheaper rate), but you see what to expect in college. To be honest, I’ve taken college classes now and none of them have been as hard to me because I already knew what to expect. Overall, AP classes will make you a much more well-rounded person. Plus, the teachers usually rock because they can teach how they want and are much more free to talk about what they want (less of a censor).
Get to know your teachers.
I loved a lot of my teachers. A few stick out more than others. Some just weren’t my favorite. They are there because they love what they do and want to help you. Class will go so much more smoothly if you will just get to know them a little bit! I had one teacher freshman year who I joked around with a little bit and by my senior year every time I came down the hallway he would make some joke at me or sing my name! Another one got me out of class to play a board game. Don’t be afraid of your teachers, they are people just like you. I promise. Smile and remember everything is going to be all right.
The first day is the most terrifying.
If you get lost just ask for help. Don’t be that kid wandering the halls 15 minutes after class started.
Get to know the office ladies.
They are some of the sweetest women you will ever meet. These are the ladies who help keep the school glued together. They call you out of class, make sure you haven’t been skipping (don't you dare do that), keep attendance, check everyone’s addresses and phones numbers to make sure they are right, make sure all the money is going to the right places, discipline you and organize really cool school activities. Plus, they have to deal with crazy phone calls from people and weird walk-ins in the office. They just want to help you. It’s so much easier to walk into the office when you know the names of the people you’re talking to. It’s also super funny to see them outside of the office because you think they live there or something!
Find friends outside your usual crowd.
I love this one. Ok, so you know how sometimes when you’re eating at the lunch table the conversation just dies and everyone just sits there and stares at their food? No? Just me? Ok. Well, if you end up like me, it’ll happen. This is where your friends in different crowds comes in. During your awkward silence, you go talk to that other friend! Boom! Awkward silence solved!
Boyfriends/Girlfriends are not a necessity.
Oh my goodness, please don’t be the girl/guy who thinks that they have to have a person to be happy! I knew so many people like that. If a person comes along who you think is special and is just completely out of this world then hey, date them. You may not agree, but mom has raised us to not waste other people’s time. If you can’t see a future with that person (I know you’re still in high school, but there is a thing called high school sweethearts and they do get married) don’t date them. I want you to know that people grow at different speeds and sometimes the speeds aren’t the same anymore. You’ll cherish that person forever because they really helped you grow. Keep in touch with them and let them know they will always be special to you.
Begin looking forward.
Drive your counselors nuts. Please. Go ask those questions about everything and anything under the sun. Ask them about internships for the summer between your junior and senior year. Ask them questions if you need help. Ask them for letters of recommendation for scholarships. Ask them about scholarships. Ask them questions if you are having issues with a class about how you can study better. Ask them anything. Trust me, my counselors were some of the sweetest, funniest and all around best people to know (and they still are). Shoot them an email if you need.
Don’t take no for an answer.
Because I took those classes early I decided to ask if I could take my senior government/economy class and the senior physics class. Well, I got a no initially. But I signed up for them on my course selection card and talked to a few people in the office and I was in! So let’s see, that meant… carry the one… drop the two… Oh! I didn’t have to take a history or science my senior year! Senior year I was an office assistant and a teacher’s assistant. Life was less stressful because I didn’t have to do school work during school for 2 hours a day. I did take some of the extra space in my schedule and took 2 AP classes.
Do choir/band/theater/sports/anything.
When you settle down into an extracurricular like band or theater the members become your family. It’s amazing to watch. You, dare I say, feel the magic of your little school family.
Start building your resume now.
Resume. Now. I need you to do clubs, dude. I don’t care how much you just want to go home and play your weird video games. You need to sign up for clubs and volunteer for things around town. When you apply for a scholarship/internship/college/job all the extra stuff you have done will make a ton of difference. Think about this, you are choosing a high schooler to intern at your super awesome corporation and you have two applications in front of you, but they look identical in grades. What do you do? You look at the clubs and volunteer work they have done. One kid has an entire piece of paper in point 10 fount listing all the clubs, volunteer work, and leadership positions they have been in and the other kid has five words on their resume. Who will you pick? Who would you trust more when it came to being responsible for little things in your company?
Have fun.
I understand that this is a lot to absorb. Have fun in high school, though. Don’t do anything you will regret later down the road, but try and experience new things. Take multimedia design even if you don’t think it’ll help you later on (it will). Go with that friend you just met to Birmingham to see Wicked on tour at the BJCC. Stay up that extra hour to study because you know how much happiness that A+ will bring. Get to know the people around you. Laugh at that kid’s really dumb joke. Smile at the kid who screams, “I like cheese!” down the hallways. Be friends with the guy who blows bubbles in the classroom even though it upsets the teacher. Ask that teacher if they need any help because they might let you come play Super Smash Bros on the Wii in their classroom during school one day. High school is pretty cool if you let it be. Take everything in and make memories that will make you cry at graduation.
