Dear freshmen, 

Almost a month into the school year, I’m sure you’ve begun to figure out and establish your schedules and patterns. That being said, there’s still a majority of the year left to come, so let me help you navigate it. 

Let’s start with your actual classes. Right now, your classes are probably pretty easy. It’s only been a month, so the workload is remaining fairly light. This will change. High school is, in fact, different from middle school. Homework will become plentiful, tests will gain difficulty and deadlines will shrink. Do not approach this with fear, it’s not meant to scare you. Use this year to learn to study, time manage and figure out how to prioritize. Your freshman year is not going to make or break your academic career, but it should be used to help you gain skills that will help you succeed in the rest of your high school experience. Learn to study and prioritize now, you’ll be grateful you did later. Also, don’t skip your classes (no one thinks it’s cool that you’re spending third period sitting criss-cross applesauce on the nasty bathroom floor with your entire backpack watching TikToks). 

Extracurriculars: whether you do sports, the arts, clubs, etc., extracurriculars take up more of your time than it seems. Absolutely do as many extracurriculars as you can, both for the experience and the credit, but be careful and mindful with how you approach them. If you’re involved in multiple things, you are probably not going to be able to make it to every practice and meeting. This can be hard to accept, especially for those who are very committed. Missing practices from time to time is okay and usually necessary to be involved in everything you want to be. Try to split up your time as equally as you can between your extracurriculars, and make sure you leave time for homework and a social life. 

Managing your sleep schedule and personal time is equally (possibly more) important as classes and extracurriculars. Though it’s important to try your best in your classes and activities, sleep is a key factor to success. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep per night, regardless of how much homework you have. High quality sleep will serve you far better than an extra hour or two of last minute studying. Also prioritize time for yourself. Don’t get so caught up in everything you’re bound to have going on that you forget to take care of yourself. Get exercise, eat good foods, sleep and maintain your hobbies. 

Most importantly, don’t wish your time away. It’s easy to romanticize growing up, passing through the grades and eventually going off to college, or work or wherever post-high school might take you. Don’t do this; it’s cheesy, but time really does go by fast. Take every opportunity you have to be a kid. Study and work hard, but leave time to spend with your friends and savor time with your family. Go to the football games and the dances, dress up for Homecoming week and say yes to last minute plans.