Starting a new school year is always tough, especially with the big leap from middle to high school. It is normal to be nervous when starting at a new school, so seniors, the ones who’ve already been through it, share some advice to help freshmen get their bearings a little quicker.
“When I started out my freshman year, I had a tough time adjusting to new schedules and a new environment,” said senior Alexis Roberts. “But I’m so glad that my teachers were so welcoming and open to help at any time. I don’t think I’d have made it if it weren’t for them.”
It can be very stressful coming into a new building with people you have never met before, but it can be especially hard trying to communicate with adults you’re unfamiliar with. Roberts recommends asking for help when you need it and greeting friends and teachers in the mornings.
“One thing that was really hard for me was being social and communicating with others,” said Roberts. “It was really hard for me socially because we went virtual for a while, so when I did go back to school, I felt very nervous around all of those people.”
Senior Eli Bush learned the importance of paying attention in class over quarantine.
“I regret sleeping during my Zoom calls whilst the teacher was teaching,” said Bush. “It really had a negative effect on my grades.”
Some students felt like there was less responsibility on them with no teacher there to keep them in check. That’s why Bush strongly believes that you should be responsible for yourself and keep yourself in line from the beginning so that you’ll have good habits for years to come.
“New freshmen should really focus their attention on their teachers in class because it’ll make a severe improvement on their grades,” said Bush. “Towards the end of my freshmen year, I chose to give more attention to my work and it paid off on my tests and grades.”
Some freshmen have a hard time getting used to the rigor of the work in high school. Senior Faith Robertson believes it can be hard for freshmen to really understand the new topics they are learning. She found that staying after school for that extra push really helped her and thinks that it could help others.
“Something I regret was not going to tutoring for my classes because when I did, it had a positive effect on my grades,” said Robertson.
Although academics are of utmost importance, so is having fun.
“I think that freshmen should go to sports events like the football games and try out for cool clubs they find interesting,” said Bush. “I remember having a really great time when I went to the football games freshman year. I made such great memories with my friends, and I recommend new high schoolers do the same!”
There are going to be a lot of ups and downs for freshmen, and it’s nearly always a good idea to seek advice from someone who has already been through the same struggles.
