Starting high school, I was expecting freshman year to be a breeze. Well, a chilly breeze, because I knew it would be harder, but I thought I could handle it without studying or getting involved. Needles to say, I was wrong. Below is 11 things I wish I knew going into freshman year that would've made life so much easier.
1. You actually have to work in high school
Compared to middle school and past years, high school was a re-filling pit of work, studies and chores. You had endless amounts for every class, job and extracurricular you signed up for.
2. Make friends with your teachers
It is so important to be close with your teachers. With college recommendations and hard classes, your teachers may be the key to success and an acceptance letter. High school teachers are a lot more laid back then previous ones, so don't be afraid to strike a conversation with them, or share something in common. It'll help so much in the long run.
3. It's better to be over prepared. Always.
Don't skimp out on homework or relax on studying for your test tomorrow. Always bring extra pencils to class, write every reminder and event down, study material the day you get it and DON'T PROCRASTINATE. This is so important because it will help prioritize and organize your workload.
4. Make friends with everyone
Honestly, no one cares in high school. Nobody cares what your wear, who you hang out with, who's 'popular', literally no one cares. So nothing should stop you from making friends with people in your class, in clubs or in the hallway. It is vital to make at least one friend in each class so you have someone to study or compare notes with. Also, having friends can keep you more connected with upcoming events in your school, which may help build a college app or resume.
5. Not everything you hear is always true
Rumors are so easily spread, and everyone interprets their own version of the truth. No matter what you hear from anyone, whether its about a student or teacher, will be 100% true, so don't judge somebody based on something you heard. Always treat everyone with respect, no matter what, because who doesn't need some good karma?
6. Nobody cares what you wear
Or what you look like, what your interested in. Nobody cares what you do, say, what your laugh sounds like. Nobody cares about anything you do as long as it is not hurting anybody, so feel free to be yourself. It'll allow you to have so much fun if you let go of what other people expect and o what you want.
7. Regarding classes, you get out what you put in
You're not going to get an A if you studied for ten minutes for a test. If your teacher holds a study session, go to it. It'll give you information you need, and brownie points, that you may possibly need. Either way, it's a win- win. Just be sure you don't fall behind and you put in the work and give the individual attention to each class that you're taking, and you'll do fine.
8. Teachers are there to help you
You need to take advantage of your teacher's help, especially if you're struggling in that particular subject. Teachers are not going to judge you or get annoyed, and it will improve your grade and/or confidence in the subject alot.
9. Get involved
Don't wait until junior or senior year to join clubs or get leadership positions. Start as soon as you can, and expose yourself to as many different subjects that you can. Now is the time to explore your interests and see what you can possibly study in college or do as a job. Look at internships, jobs and extracurricular as a door to the outside world, it'll look great on college apps and will help you stand out in the future.
10. Have fun
You're going to remember high school for the rest of your life, so make the most of it. One day, high school is going to be "the good 'ol days", and you'll want to remember all the fun and memories you've made. Don't loose your authenticity by focusing too much on studies, and though it may be easy to, don't stress too much. Compared to the rest of your life, high school is the easy part, so enjoy it
