Dear incoming freshmen,

The next four years of your life will be a roller coaster. There will be so many opportunities, trials, and homework! Whether you are excited or scared, you will be a high schooler in a couple of weeks. Here are some things that I learned, or I’m glad I did during my time in high school.

1. Be nice to everyone.

This is kind of self explanatory: you do not want to be the one kid who everyone hates. So be genuinely kind to everyone. Treat them how you want to be treated. You have four years of high school left, so don’t start burning bridges...yet/ (Just kidding; don’t burn bridges at all.)

2. ALWAYS do your homework.

This is a great habit to get into. Homework is there for a reason, and it’s not to make you miserable, even though it feels that way. Homework is a way for you to understand what you learned in class better, and it’s also an easy grade. I have seen so many people fail classes only because they never did their homework. Plus, teachers are more willing to help someone who does their homework and puts in effort!

3. Get involved.

Try joining a club or sports team you are interested in. My freshman year, a friend convinced me to join cheerleading so they could have a squad; it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. So if there is a club or sport you want to try, go for it! It is a great way to make friends, and hey, if you don’t enjoy it, just don’t rejoin next year. I also am huge supporter of volunteering! Some great places to volunteer at include animal shelters, food pantries, and anything to do bettering your community. Volunteering is fun, and also looks great on scholarship/job applications.

4. Take opportunities.

This kind of goes along with getting involved, but it’s okay! There are so many opportunities that start coming your way in high school! When I was a sophomore, I got the opportunity to go to a leadership seminar called HOBY. Besides joining cheerleading, this is also one of the best decisions I made along with deciding to go back as a Junior Facilitator. I won’t go on and on about how amazing HOBY is today, but maybe in another article. Start taking the opportunities that come your way; you never know what amazing things could come out of them.

5. Be yourself.

Personally, I believe this is the most important thing I will ever tell you about high school. Just be yourself! If you do this, you will meet people who love you for who you are. Why would you want to be anyone who you are not? Believe me being “popular” isn’t worth having fake friends or not being happy. Besides, I believe that everyone is popular in high school, within their own groups. In high school, I never wanted to be popular; all I wanted to be was myself, and that isn’t one of the best decisions I made. It is the best decision I made.

So, you’re going to be a high school freshman in a couple weeks. Believe me, these next four years are going to fly by, so make the most out of them. I wish you the best of luck. You will be fine. Stay true to yourself, and don’t forget that grades are very important.