By Lena Perrone
As we move through different stages of life, one huge change is the shift into high school. As a freshman, I have had to learn and adapt to a new lifestyle as I make my way through my 9th-grade year. Some students may flourish from high school change because of the challenging courses, new peers, upperclassmen, more responsibility, etc. However, others may struggle more because of those exact changes.
As an 8th grader, the thought of high school seemed scary. I was scared of the upperclassmen and the new teachers I would have. I thought to myself what if I fail? What if all my peers and teachers don’t like me at school? Am I going to struggle in my classes? These questions may stir around in your mind too. To help me with my nerves I had my brother (a junior at Central DeWitt) to guide me in choosing classes, decision-making, and more. I think it is important to have a support system when making the switch from middle school to high school.
A difference, as I mentioned before, from middle to high school is responsibility. High school has a schedule where you have 4 classes every other day. This was NOT the case in my 8th grade year. When having classes every other day, it can be challenging to juggle all the homework, papers, assignments, and other things that need to be done. This can be a challenge for anyone to handle but there are ways to turn it into work you may like to do.
For example, one way to deal with the workload of school is to stay organized. According to Teens Health, you can keep, “your assignments and class information organized by subject. Put them in binders, notebooks, or folders.” Using this method or organization will make your freshman year a whole lot easier.
Another change I mentioned previously was the difficult classes students may be challenged by. My advice to overcome a class you may be struggling with is to communicate with your teacher. Some people look at asking for help as a weakness but to me, it shows you are interested in learning more and getting better. Asking for help and assistance shows maturity and leadership to your teacher and peers. Not only does this allow the teacher to help you but your grade will be (more likely than not) positively affected!
Everybody comes out of high school with different perspectives on the 4 years they spent learning. One person may look back and hate the thought of high school; while another will think about all the memories and positive outcomes that came out of their high school experience. The difference between those two people is their mindsets.
I believe that if you wake up every day and dread the thought of going to school, then you are most likely going to hate your experience there. If you wake up and find positive things about the school day then it will be more enjoyable for you and you will likely find a successful outcome that will come from it. Everyone knows high school is a big change, but just take it one step at a time; starting with learning to embrace and enjoy it!
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