“What’s high school like?”

“Are the teachers really mean?”

“What if I get lost on the first day?”

“I’m nervous, what if people don’t like me?”

These are questions my sister has asked me over and over again. As an incoming freshman, she has many fears and worries about how her high school experience will be. I just graduated high school in May, but I remember having the same uncertainties as my sister the summer before my freshman year. While I know many incoming freshmen are nervous about their first year, I am here to tell you that high school is not as scary as it seems. Here is my advice for any incoming freshmen on how to start their first year.

Get involved

I believe getting involved is crucial in high school. Every high school offers multiple clubs, organizations and athletics. Even in my small high school of 200 students, we had several organizations ranging from choir to art club to a gamer’s club. With so many options, it is easy to find something you love and get involved. Do not be afraid to try joining new groups. If you love it, great. If you hate it, now you know that group is not for you. Getting involved exposes you to new opportunities and a chance to meet new people. Plus, high school will be boring if you do not have anything to participate in. I was involved in many activities such as choir, soccer, student council and many more. These activities made my high school experience awesome and introduced me to people who are now my best friends.

Grades are important

While it is great to be involved, grades are the most crucial piece of your high school career. As a freshman, it is important you develop good study habits and stay on top of your homework early on because I hate to tell you, but the years only get harder. I hardly had homework my freshman year and easily breezed through the year. However, as I moved through the years, the classes got harder and the homework seemed to double in size. I had to put in a lot of work and study time to ensure my grades stayed where they needed to be. Do not blow off your homework or studying for tests. There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed, but work hard to stay on top of your studies. Good grades and a strong work ethic will get you far.

Do not be afraid to ask for help

My parents always told me, "If you never ask, the answer will always be no." I used to roll my eyes, but I knew they were right. If something is unclear to you, do not be afraid to find someone who understands and ask for help. There is no shame in asking a teacher for extra help on an assignment. If you have questions about an organization or club, do not be afraid to ask an upperclassman for help. TV shows and movies are wrong; upperclassmen are not horrible to the freshmen. We have experienced things you have not, so it would be in your favor to ask us for help. Asking questions leads to learning something new. Do not miss the opportunity to learn something new because you are too afraid to ask.

Make memories and have fun

As an incoming freshman, I know it feels like you have forever until you graduate. But I promise you, you will blink and it will be over. Do not wish away your high school years. There will be times in which you will say "I hate high school, I’m ready to graduate." In fact, during your senior year, you will develop a serious case of "senioritis." Even in those times, do not wish for time to go by faster. Enjoy your high school years. Some of the things you experience during high school you may never experience again. Freshmen, it goes by quicker than you think.

I know the thought of high school can be intimidating, but I promise it is not as scary as it seems. If you take the time to get involved and put yourself out there, you will have a blast in high school. So get involved and make new friends. Stay on top of your schoolwork. Ask questions and make mistakes. High school is a place to discover your strengths and weaknesses, and figure out who you are. I was once in your shoes. I asked the same questions and felt the same fear some of you freshmen are feeling. The fear does not last forever. You will find your niche in high school, and once you do, you have the power to have four amazing years.