Freshman, your life is about to fly before your eyes.

It is probably the most cliche thing you will hear going into high school. Time flies by fast. And everyone is right. It really does.

Finally going into my last year of high school, I often look back at what freshman year was like for me, and realize how much I have changed as a person and student since then. Here are some things I have learned along the way, from me to you.

• Do not be afraid. There’s no harm in having no one to sit with at lunch, having nobody in your classes, or whatever else you might be afraid of. Chances are, you probably know more people in your classes than you realized, and they could become one of your great friends. You never know.

• Everything is not set in stone. In my personal experience, during Freshman Orientation and career-centered classes freshman year, all of the information about careers really overwhelmed me. I had no idea which “major” or “school of study” I wanted to take classes from. It’s fine if you have no idea, or if you want to change the “school of study”. The schools of study are generally there to help expose you to the types of classes necessary for that field. If you happen to complete one, you get a cord. Changing your school of study is not the end of the world and does not dictate what career you will pursue after high school. Some advice: take a class from each one if you have the chance and cannot rule out what you want to pursue. Find something you like? Continue on that track.

• Be flexible. High school is a time to learn more about yourself (I know, another cliche). For me, one of these ways to become more flexible in high school was by making many different types of friends. Although you might not want to break routine from the middle school days, having many “friend groups” or hanging out with others for a change will teach you more about the type of friend you are. Plus, knowing a variety of people can make the rest of your high school years more enjoyable.

• Do as much as you can. When there is an opportunity presented to you, take it. It can be taking more classes, joining more clubs, or even just going to more athletic or arts events. It will help make your time in high school more interesting. Looking back, I wish I went to more school games and now this is my last year to go as a student.

• Have fun. It’s the only time you are this age, so take advantage of it. Go to friday night games, spend time with your friends, take school seriously, and enjoy every moment of it.

Good luck this year Freshman! – Sam

______________

Here’s my guide on how to successfully direct your life in high school to arrive at an exciting future.

College is a big decision and it is recommended you plan your life how adults wish they had planned theirs. I realize this may seem like too much for the average teenager to handle, but adults don’t believe in your reasonable demands for less hours of school/homework, that standardized tests are useless, etc.

The following bullets are a guide to survive high school as a freshman:

• Ninth grade paves the way for future academic scholars; your future begins now. Colleges are looking for the best and brightest of our generation who are dependable, safe students. Do not be irresponsible high schoolers who just want to live their lives while they are young and enjoy themselves too often.

• You have to learn material you’ll probably never touch once in your life after high school. Remember the material essential for that year, then regurgitate the information on standardized tests and exams. That way, you get to (painstakingly) go to the college you want.

• Why is homework important you ask? You want to be diligent and do all that extra work, even if it’s piled on top of sports, extra-curriculars, etc., which are scientifically proven to be healthy for teenagers. Homework is important, even though I think school work should end with school. Colleges want to see your extra effort, even if it means losing your grip on any outside life.

• Remember to sleep for more than eight hours. Regardless of if you have to study for those honors and AP classes, have your downtime, practice sports, or work out, try to sleep for at least eight hours. Colleges care about your performance in the classroom.

• Peer pressure is real! A student will force you to succumb to the horrors of pressure to do something you don’t want to do. It is definitely real, so be careful.

Thank you for wasting your time reading these points that have probably already been drilled into your mind. Now get back to your homework. – Einah