Entering high school is an exciting, yet terrifying time in a young person's life. As with any big change, there are concerns and worries. Although these upcoming four years seem scary, they will bring you some of the best memories, opportunities, and life lessons.
Here are a few things I believe every freshman should know before the new school year begins.
1. Your grades freshman and sophomore year DO matter!
You may think that missing a few math homework assignments or not reading one book is no big deal, but these are the first steps into a slippery slope that will ultimately lead you to junior year wondering how in the world you will get your GPA into shape before you apply to colleges. It's easy to think "I have plenty of time to get good grades" or "I'll just do better next year" when your grades start to slip. However, the grades you receive freshman and sophomore year DO count and it isn't going to be easy to build your GPA back up in your last few semesters of high school to get into your dream school. Do yourself a solid and stay on top of your grades at all times.
2. Get involved!
Those cheesy, over-crowded club fairs may not seem so appealing, but just go check them out! Most of these organizations are created by your peers, so you never know what awesome club you will find. You may end up finding something you love and stick with all throughout high school. Not to mention, clubs and extracurricular activities are imperative to the success of your college application.
3. Being a "teacher's pet" isn't such a bad thing.
Sure, nobody wants the stigma around being a "teacher's pet" being placed on them, but actually showing your teachers some respect, going in for tutoring, or even helping out during class isn't going to hurt anyone. Chances are, your teachers are there because they care about your success. They love what they do, so try to show them you care too, despite the plethora of homework they may assign. Your teachers are humans too; get to know them. Trust me, they will remember this come time for scholarship and college recommendation letters.
4. Do NOT procrastinate!
Look, I know you're all going to at some point and you are going to hear this a million times, but I repeat, do NOT procrastinate! If the homework is due in three nights, do it the night it is assigned and get it out of the way. You never know what is going to pop up during the week, and a zero for a homework grade is almost never worth it. Believe me when I say that doing the work twenty minutes before class starts is a lot harder than it seems and is never a good idea.
5. Don't let anyone hold you back.
Don't tie yourself down to toxic friendships or relationships. Although it may seem like these people will be in your life forever, they most likely won't be. Don't keep anyone in your life who brings you down. These next four years are shorter than you think, and no one is worth wasting your time and energy on.
6. Don't rush through high school.
Legally, you have to be in school at this point. So just sit down and enjoy being a kid while you can these next four years because they will FLY by. Take every opportunity handed to you and make as many amazing memories as you can. Go to prom, a football game, and volunteer! Before you know it, you will be crying in line before the procession into graduation, wondering where all the time went.
