Advice to My Freshman Self

Take it from an upperclassman, entering freshmen year is a challenging, yet exciting time in your high school career. Looking back, I reflect on some advice given to me as well as strategies that worked for me or advice I wish I implemented freshman year. I compiled those tips and provide guidance to ensure a successful and enjoyable year. 

1. Take Your Time 
Entering high school can be an overwhelming experience. You are taking harder classes, meeting new teachers and classmates and dealing with the burden of an increased workload. Make sure to plan out your day and keep some time aside to do activities you enjoy. Usually, towards the end of the cycle or semester, quizzes, tests, and projects start to add up and it is stressful to manage all that at once. Trust me, I know what it feels like. My advice would be to take a deep breath, organize yourself, focus, and remember that this too shall pass.  

2. Make Friends 
Coming from a small private school, getting adjusted to the climate of a public high school was difficult at first. Try to get involved in freshmen activities or camps before school starts so you can start the school year familiar with other students. I remember going to Carnegie’s “Fish Camp,” a camp for incoming freshman to get to know each other over the weekend in the wilderness. It was an amazing experience and my closest friends today are my cabinmates from Fish Camp. If you can’t attend events like these, don’t worry, you will have plenty of opportunities to make great friends. Talking to people near your table and helping others out are all opportunities for friendship.  

3. Ask for Help 
Entering high school means challenging classes like APs, honors, and IBs. You need to stay on top of everything for multiple classes but also have time for extracurriculars. If you don’t understand a concept, ask for help. You can reach out to your teacher to arrange a tutorial or ask for an extension with a valid reason. There are also student tutorials you can attend and there are always study groups that you can join if you are unconfident in your knowledge of a certain subject. Don’t feel shy if you need help, it is always best to be prepared and assured that you know the material when you are taking a test or quiz.  

4. Participate in Extracurriculars 
During the beginning of the school year, many people are promoting their clubs. If one of them catches your eye, be sure to attend the interest meeting. Check out the club and if you are not impressed or interested, there is no obligation for you to join. You do not want to miss out an opportunity that could offer you a leadership position or participate in an activity you enjoy. Not to mention, clubs are also a great way of making friends with people who share the same interests as you.  

5. Manage Your Time Effectively 
Most upperclassmen’s advice to me was to not put stuff off for the last minute. Like most students, that did not stop me from procrastinating and creating stressful situations for myself. Some effective tips to minimize last-minute stress are to have a lanner and maintain a study schedule. A planner helps you keep track of all the work due and when they are due so you can effectively create a schedule in which you plan out when to do certain tasks. 

Experience is the best teacher, and when you find yourself in a place where you have so much work and such little time, you will try your best to ensure that you are not put in a situation like that again and manage your time better for the next time.