Hey Cousin,

How you doing? I bet you can’t guess why I’m writing this article for you. Give up? Well, you graduated middle school and are moving on to one of the big leagues, high school! With anything you have accomplished over the years I could not be anymore proud of you and only wish to give you advice on what to expect once you walk in those doors in a few months.

Don’t act superior quite yet

You’re only going to be a freshman, not the new mayor of your town. This is a new place, a new home; if you act like the seniors there will be some issues on your first day. Even pretending to know where everything is when you really don’t doesn’t help either. It’s always okay to ask around.

Find your place

You did multiple things in middle school to get to know yourself and find out who you are. If you liked those things, such as a sport you were a part of or an instrument you played, find out if they have those things and go for it. Find your place while you can; if you find it at the last second you won’t be able to enjoy it long enough to have it a part of you anymore.

Friendships are key

I remember meeting a few of your friends on multiple occasions, even talking about them so they would sound familiar to me. They honestly sound like great people (the ones I haven’t met) and are great people (to the one I did meet). Who you hang out with shows who you will have by your side for the rest of your high school career, especially the first year. Even if new people come into the school and into your life make sure your friends from middle school still stay by your side, friendship is key to your survival.

Avoid the drama (unless it’s the club)

There are moments you will run into some problems with your friends and will have a terrible way of showing how you agree-to-disagree or totally disagree. That right there, is called drama, and you do not need that in your life. There’s already enough to deal with at home, why have this not-needed nonsense on your plate? Trust me when I tell you, I had my fair share of high school drama, it was really not worth my time.

Stick to your guns and keep being yourself

This, is the last and most important piece of advice I can give you. With relationships, homework, after school things, friends, ya know, the whole nine sometimes you can drive yourself a little mental. Some choices might need to be made and some people might try to change you. DO NOT, under any circumstance let anyone do that to you. There is only one of you and only one of them, there does not need to be multiples of everyone on this planet. Keep being yourself and let the choices you make by sticking to your guns help you through high school.

You can consider telling your friends about these things because I am sure they will need this advice as well. Also, enjoy these next four years while you can, they will fly by pretty fast (trust me, I lived it).

Love,