Ten Do's and Don'ts for Freshmen

Freshmen! Oh my dear fish, high school awaits and will require much adjustment. But, through my extensive experience of, well, going through the first three years and starting my fourth, I can tell you with confidence that high school has been the best few years of my life, and I hope that you can enjoy your experience as much as I did. With that being said, there are some things I should warn you of. Consider this Ishani’s 10 rules for fish!

First off, let us start with the basics - never, under any circumstances, ask other students for directions in the hallway. My first day, I was 30 minutes late to my geometry class because an upperclassman pointed me in the wrong direction. This is something that many juniors and seniors will do. I ended up being 20 minutes late to class and was known as the “tardy girl” for the rest of the year. 

My second piece of advice might sound like a cliche, but for real - don’t sweat the homework, because it only gets worse after your first year. You might start out with two hours a night and move to four and then five on really bad nights when you have a test the next day. Use weekends wisely, because you can accomplish a lot if you plan ahead for classes and do extra work while you aren't tired and have the time. 

The third goes with the second. Sleep every chance you get. Summer is the time to sleep 12 hours a night, every night. Weekends are the time to sleep in until noon. Days off are the best because there are no obligations or plans, so lounge around and just enjoy your day off.

Fourth, invest in a coffee maker. Caffeine is your new best friend. There is really nothing else to say for this one. Three cups a day has become the norm for me since the start of sophomore year. 

My fifth pointer involves English, and I have one word for you: “SparkNotes.” In English, throughout every grade and level, you will have to read several books. For freshman year, I “read” eight books. With all of the homework piling on and 30 pages to read a night, I heavily relied on SparkNotes. This may be frowned upon by teachers, but I can guarantee you, at least half of the class has not read the book. On the other hand, if you are having an in-depth test over the book, make sure you at least skim it. But, if it is just a discussion or reading guide there’s really no point in wasting precious sleep time to read a book that is probably from the 18th century and makes zero sense to any high schooler. 

Sixth, make sure you get on your teacher’s good side. First impressions are important, so when you walk into class on the first day, smile and say “hello” to your teacher. Try to do this every day when you walk into the class. Remember the teachers work hard, probably don’t get paid enough and are over worked. Be nice to your teachers (and it does not hurt when they are grading your tests or wiring you college recommendations). 

My seventh tip is - as they say, “don’t compare your inside to other people’s outside.” In other words, you should not compare yourself to others, including grades and resumes. It is so important not to do this. You have to know on the inside that you are a smart, capable person without contrasting yourself with others. There will always be someone who is smarter or does more extracurriculars than you, but it is up to you to make your time worthwhile and put in everything you have to schoolwork and activities. 

Eighthly, do not ever blow off grades in your first year. Don’t use the excuse that colleges do not care about your freshman year grades. Because most of them do. Yes, it is your transition period, but that doesn’t mean you should go flunk every test and not study. I know many really smart students who did not put in the effort freshman year who are now struggling to stay afloat in this college application process because they won’t be able to get into many schools they want to with their GPA. 

Ninth, looks are not everything in high school. I’m sure going into school you were stressing about the first day of school outfit and how you were going to do your hair and makeup (or look macho, as the case may be). I am here to tell you that in a few weeks, you will wake up 15 minutes before leaving the house and throw on the most comfortable clothes you can find in your closet. 

Lastly and most importantly, high school is a time to find yourself and figure out who you are as a person. These four years will be a pivotal point in your life that will shape your future. You probably won’t be the same person walking into the doors as when you leave, but that’s okay! 

These 10 things might seem basic and ordinary things, but these simple aspects of high school can make or break your experience. Make sure that they make your experience.