With summer coming to a close and school just around the corner, it’s easy to think about the next year. What you’re going to learn, who you’ll meet, and how you’ll change are very common. For those of you that are new to the high school scene, there are a few things that you’ll need to know.

1. Take your grades seriously, but don’t stress.

I didn’t take my grades very seriously most of my first 3 years. I thought that as long as I didn’t fail a class it didn’t matter what my grades were. My junior year was when I started to set standards for myself. Try your best, but don’t freak out if you have a 3.99 GPA.

Study, study, study.

Studying for that test next week sounds like a good idea. You might think that you know everything that is about to be on a test, but it helps to brush up. And you won't feel as guilty getting a B or a C on a test if you know that you studied. And it helps to study on vocab, you might actually remember the information after the test.

2. Stay humble.

The stigma behind freshman being seen as lower in high school isn’t all true. Be excited to get to high school, and don’t be nervous to talk to upperclassmen. But at the same time, remember not to be too cocky. At the end of the day, the kids that have been there for a long time know the rules, the campus, and the teachers. Don’t try to cause any negative situations.

3. Stay. Away. From drama.

In middle school, everything is full of drama. Girls left the school dance crying because their crush was dancing with another girl, cat fights, losing friends, etc. But in high school, it’s not worth it. If you escalate a situation to any sort of fight, you can miss extracurricular activities including prom and class trips.

4. Don’t underestimate your teachers.

I have seen so many freshman yell at teachers over the last school year. In middle school, teachers are so much more relaxed about when you turn in late homework and helping you bump your grades. But in high school, it’s not that easy. If you ask for help, teachers will be glad to help you before hand. I’ve even gone in for help one period before a math final... (I got a 90, thank you.) But if you disrespect a teacher, don’t expect it to go down the same way. Overall, respect your teachers. If you don’t like them, just agree to disagree.

5. Be prepared to lose friends, and be okay with making new ones.

I’m telling you, when you start freshman year, so many things will change. I even lost friends in 8th grade because people were starting to become associated with high schoolers early. I lost even more friends freshman and sophomore year when I left the friends that were in a bad crowd. This is hard to do, but there will always be new people that would be happy to talk to you. Look for good friends, and don’t feel bad if you have to explain to the old ones why you’re leaving. Some people don’t know how to appreciate solid friends in high school, and that’s okay.

6. Get to know yourself.

This one’s pretty simple. Spend some time thinking about your values and high school goals. Try to map out some basic interests and find people that like and value the same things.

7. Get involved.

As the president of both my school’s Key Club and Drama Club, I love that I so quickly got involved in extracurriculars. They are great motivators to do well in class, and help you meet new friends through conventions, trips, workshops, and performances. If you just want to spare a weekend, get involved in a class fundraiser or sign up to decorate the homecoming float.

8. Remember that literally no one knows exactly what they’re doing.

Everyone is going to ask you what you want to do. Now, when people usually ask me that, I tell them I’m going to start at a local community college (this isn’t a lie), and I tell them I’m interested in Journalism and Theatre Arts. These are all true facts, but I also love speaking in front of groups of people. I love cooking, I love cutting hair. Who knows exactly what I’ll do. Don’t feel bad when that one girl in your world studies class starts talking about what college she’s going to and how she’s going to be a nurse in Taiwan. Remember, she hasn’t even been accepted yet.

9. Honestly, enjoy yourself.

I have fallen asleep in homeroom. And math (once). And probably science. My point is, school can get kind of dry. It can feel like it’s never going to end and that teacher you hate may never stop calling on you when your hand’s not up. But these four years are a great time to make some memories, as well as foundations to relationships that can really last if you stay in touch. High school is a super small fraction of your life. But don’t forget to take opportunities and to make the most of your experience.