Coming out of middle school and moving into high school is a scary feeling for a teenager. We all assume it's like the movies but trust me, it's not. Everyone doesn't sing and dance in the cafeteria, we don't wear pink on Wednesdays, and health class isn't as scary as it seems. Looking back, here are ten things I wish I knew before my freshman year of high school.
1. It's okay not to attend every party.
You will probably make a lot of memories when you go out but you'll make just as much when you're just hanging around the house with your friends. No one will judge you for missing "the party of the year". If you want to stay in, no one's going to judge you.
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2. Get involved.
I can't stress this enough, you have to get involved. Get involved with as many clubs and sports as possible. Not only does it look good when applying to colleges, but it's one of the best ways to make friends.
3. Get on your teacher's good side.
It's not cool to be the obnoxious student. You don't have to be the teacher's pet but do what you're there to do. It's okay to goof off every once in a while but don't do it on your teachers time. At the end of the day, they are the ones grading your work and you want them to be on your good side.
4. Take your classes seriously.
Getting good grades and studying doesn't make you a nerd. Colleges look at all four years of high school and they aren't too pleased to see when you failed half of your freshman year.
5. Don't change yourself just to impress your crush.
Whether it's changing your hair color, your clothes, and even your interests it doesn't matter. They should like you for who you are and if they don't then you move on. Losing your high school crush isn't the end of the world.
6. Don't stop in the middle of the hallway.
If you don't want to get on the bad side of the upperclassmen, then this is something you should avoid. Nothing is more annoying than having to go out of your way to get passed someone who stopped to talk in the middle of the hallway. That conversation can wait or it can be moved to a location that's not a nuisance to everyone else.
7. What you wear to school isn't all that important.
When you go to a school with a dress code, no one is going to judge you on what you wear. It's okay not to look your best some days because chances are you are not the only one. Dress in what you like and feel comfortable in.
8. Don't worry about trivial things.
Don't worry about the things that won't matter in an hour. In the end, you end up wasting your time. In the future, you will regret worrying about who's dating who and all of the other small things.
9. Popularity shouldn't be your first priority.
If you worry about popularity, you will lose touch with who you are. Don't go out of your way to do something just to fit in. Find a group of friends who are genuine and hold onto them.
10. Enjoy it while it last, but it is not the best four years of your life.
While high school can be great, it can also suck. Enjoy the time while you're there, but I promise it will not be the best four years of your life.
