10 Tips Every Incoming Freshman Should Know

It's only natural to be nervous for your first year of high school. What if everything goes wrong? What if I look like a complete idiot on my first day? Well worry no more because these are my top ten, fool proof, tips on how to make freshman year the easiest year of your life.

#highschoollife #tipsandtricks #advice #advicefromlauren

1. Know where your classes are before the first day of school

If your school has an Orientation that allows you to check out the school, take advantage of this and find your classes in order. This will put you into routine for the first day of school and make you look and feel more confident. Knowing your classes can also prevent upperclassmen from cracking "freshmen jokes" and calling you "face of freshman weekly magazine." Oh the flashbacks!

2. Join Clubs or sports

Once you get the hang of it, the school year can feel really long and boring. How to prevent this? Join clubs, one or two certainly can't hurt. If you play sports for a school team, find a club that is flexible with attendance. You may feel overwhelmed because sports are a lot more demanding. Other than sports, clubs give you something to do other than going home, eating popcorn, and watching YouTube.

3. Choose reasonable classes

Being a freshman can be overwhelming all on its own, don't let classes stress you out a ton on your first year. Use freshman year as a year to ease into High School life. A honors class here and there is great but don't go all out on AP's. This could stress you out and give you a negative look on the next 3 years. Sophomore year is for sure when you should start taking harder classes.

4. Make a 4-year plan

When choosing classes, make a 4-year plan. This will map out all of the classes you need to take in order to cover all of the credits you need to get into college. This "high school road map" should include 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. This will also make the course selection a lot easier and less stressful.

5. Go to events

A lot of the best High School memories come from attending events such as homecoming, football games, or pep rallies. Take advantage of these. This will also make the school year feel like it's going by quicker.

6. Avoid Procrastination

It's a Monday night, you have a 23 page reading assignment due tomorrow. You can't focus, All you're thinking is "My teacher is crazy! She does realize that I have other classes to do work for, right?" And then you start thinking : "I am tired, I will just wake up early tomorrow and do it in the morning." Let's be honest, you won't wake up early. Do your work the night before, no matter how hard it is to keep your eyes open, you need to do it. It is a lot better than scrambling the class before to get your work done.

7. Take advantage of tutoring

If one of your teacher's offer tutoring, take that chance to make sure you have the learning material down and memorized. If they are teaching it, that means it is important to remember for a future test or quiz. Going to tutoring leads to good grades, and good grades lead to a better chance into college.

8. Only sign up for one semester

When signing up for classes there may be some where you have the opportunity to sign up for both semesters, unless you know you like the teacher and the subject, only sign up for one semester. Sometimes electives sound like fun until you get there and realize that it is not for you, to avoid this only sign up for one. If you don't end up liking then you only have to deal with it for half the year opposed to the whole year. If you do end up liking the elective you can always sign up for both semesters next year.

9. Have a planner and use it

Planners are one of the most helpful things in the world (other than google of course). With a planner you can map out assignment and project due dates. You can also keep up with club meetings, sports games, or special events. If your anything like me, you have to have a checklist to be sure you're not missing anything.

10. Biggest tip on making friends

If you're having trouble making friends or thinking no one has the same interest as you, think about the kids in your electives. If someone signed up for an "interest-based" elective that means they probably have the same hobby as you do. Use this as a conversation starter.