My guide to having a successful high school career, which all starts with freshman year.

• Talk to people 

Freshman year is hard, you’re in a new school, around so many new people. I wish I would have talked to more people my freshman year. 

By talking to the people in your classes, you are creating a bond, and though they may not be your best friend, it gives you a familiar face. This is especially helpful if you are at an event alone, or in the cafeteria looking for space to sit, at least you will have a familiar face to sit with, or hangout with. 

A common reason many people keep to themselves and don’t talk to others that they don’t know is a preconception that they have of that person. By making small talk during class, you can break that preconception, and a majority of the time if you go out of your way to talk to someone, they will be nice to you. 

Being able to talk to others, and get to know them is a helpful skill that will not only be helpful throughout high school, but also after your high school career. 

• Get involved 

Find your place, where you think you belong. Try new clubs and sports until you find what is right for you. 

This may take some time, for me, by taking a variety of different classes and joining clubs, I discovered my ‘place’. By exploring many different options, you may find that you enjoy a variety of things. It is normal to try something, for example, a club, and not like it. The key is to try new things until you find what you truly enjoy. 

Try a sport, join a club, and take that elective class that caught your eye. High school is the perfect time to find your ‘thing’, and try out different hobbies 

• Do everything 

Prom, football games, extra curricular. These are all the kinds of things you will remember most about high school. The Friday nights you spent with friends, cheering for the football team. The memories of you dancing with friends at prom, and that field trip with the newspaper class, these are all the things I will remember most about high school.

Make memories that you will look back on and remember how happy you were, or how much fun you had. You only live once, make high school a time that you can look back on and remember the good times, versus the bad.

• Don’t stress so much 

The shift to high school can be a lot, especially when you go to school with kids who are about to start their life after high school. The conversations about college and the future start from day one. 

It may seem like everything is thrown at you all at once. My biggest advice, though it may be hard, is to not stress or worry about college yet. Just be thinking about your future, just know it’s ok to not know what you’re doing after high school. You have four years to think about what you want to do, and four years to mature and grow as a person. 

This being said, it is important to remember that everything you do now will contribute to your future. Build healthy study habits, a routine, and motivation now so that you will not have to stress as much in the future.