Transitioning from elementary and middle school to high school should be an exciting experience, but also nerve-racking. Over the summer, you’re probably watching YouTube videos on what to bring on the very first day or searching for freshman advice. Seeing freshman now as a junior really opened my eyes to how I was myself. So what really should you do to help your freshman year be successful?

Your first day of freshman year should be an easy day where you’re going to be meeting new people and teachers. The first impression is a very important part of starting off your freshman year because it’s how people are going to see you, so come presentable. Open up and make new friends in most of your classes, get involved and try to join clubs that are not really in your interest before. Don’t be afraid to make friends and you might think “yeah, being a freshman sucks because of the grades above you, and I’m going to get picked on.” No, that’s simply not the case, high school is not as cliché as you might think, so open up and become friends with a sophomore even a senior. You’ll be more experienced and perhaps prepared with their shared knowledge and asking around for help is okay and mature, don’t be afraid to speak up.

Being on top of your work is important advice because your future matters even as a freshman and thinking that just because you’re a freshman means that you can fool around and catch up later will definitely slip past your mind and leave you behind before you know it. Freshman year is your base for the rest of the three years of high school left ahead of you. Procrastination is something that you should really acknowledge. Practicing procrastination will place further pressure on yourself and be a reflection of you in the future for college and work. 

Lastly and most importantly, is being present in your freshman year. High school is a really exciting experience that can just fly by with a blink of an eye and little do you know you’re already on summer break waiting for your first day of college. Spend time with the friends you made, go attend that party and rock it, join a study group and clubs around campus. Live your high school life to its fullest so you won’t regret a thing later in the future.