Freshman Year: What Worked for Me and How to Make the Most of Yours

I just finished my freshman year of high school and it flew by. Now I'm here to share my experience with you!

Firstly, I went from attending a small K-8 school with three hundred and sixty people in total to a huge school with over five hundred people per grade. I think I adapted to the change pretty easily though. Well...not so much the first day. I did not like it at all. I didn't want to go to the school. I thought it was way too crowded and that there were way too many people. I also thought there were way too many floors. (I still do. A school with eleven floors is pretty crazy.)

My school uses an A and B day alternating system, so the second day of school had a totally different schedule than the first. I think I enjoyed the second day more, because I remember feeling like I wanted to get out of school ASAP on the first day. I don't remember having that feeling on the second day. Plus, I ended up liking B days more than A days. I had the first period with Marianne and had lunch with Kenser, although Kenser and I didn't have any classes together. (Crossing our fingers for sophomore year!) On the second day, I met some super sweet people who grew to become good friends. Also, there was a bit of a scheduling mix up that day: I was supposed to have Spanish second period and then biology third, but they switched the class periods and they changed the teachers. It all worked out for the best!

On the third day of school, I realized I was missing something: my beloved planner! I couldn't believe that I went back to school shopping and completely forgot to buy a planner. I felt stressed without it. Best believe, I ordered it from Amazon the minute I got home. That leads me to tip number one: USE A PLANNER! Even though I have a pretty good memory, I refuse to take the chance of forgetting my schoolwork. I mean, how disappointing would that be? So, I recommend using a planner, putting your assignments in your notes, writing them down on a sheet of paper, and/or putting them in your calendar. Anything. Just don't forget your work. Personally, using a planner works so well. Everything is neat and in one place. I just love it! I've never had a late assignment, and that will continue because I will always use my planner.

Another thing that worked great for me is studying. I know, it's pretty obvious, but studying is important and not everyone does it. This year, I learned that one of the best methods of studying is doing practice questions/tests. See which ones you get wrong, and then really focus on those areas. Put in the work, and your grades will be amazing! Something that may not be so obvious: Don't pull all-nighters. (Or at least, I don't recommend it.) Also, don't procrastinate. Study at school if you have a free period, especially if you play sports and you know that you won't have a lot of time to study in the afternoon. This way, you get studying in whenever you can, but you still go to sleep at a decent time. Staying up all night may make it more difficult to focus and retain information. So, especially if you have a test the following day, do not stay up all night. Study during the day, then get your beauty rest! Seriously, the more sleep you can get, the better.

Something else I recommend is joining a club or two. Whatever you're interested in or passionate about, your school may have some kind of club for it! Joining a club shows that you're involved. They're also a great way to meet people who share a common interest! I joined Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) because I'm interested in starting a business. It was a great year. I met so many cool people who share that interest. Sports are the same: a great way to meet people who share a common interest. Joining a sport can lead to good bonding with your team members and if you like the sport, it can be really enjoyable. My freshman year, I played volleyball and I ran track. They were both so much fun in their own ways! I learned so much more about volleyball and met so many nice people being on the track team.

Another tip: Just stay out of "the drama." Be kind. Don't gossip.

Another key thing: setting goals. Setting goals during freshman year and really throughout all of high school is super important because it gives you direction and purpose. With so many new classes, activities, and people, it is easy to get distracted or overwhelmed. Having clear goals helps you focus on what matters most to you and keeps you motivated, especially during challenging times. It also builds good habits early on, so working toward what you want becomes second nature. Instead of just going through the motions, goals help you be intentional with your time and choices, whether that is improving your grades, joining clubs, or making new friends! Plus, when the year ends, goals make it easier to look back and see your progress, which is both satisfying and helpful for growing even more.

Lastly, my friends and I created a shared album titled "Freshman Year" to store all of our fun memories for this year! One of my favorite memories is dressing up as princesses for Halloween and watching Hocus Pocus. So much fun!

Looking back on freshman year, I’m glad I took time to set goals, stay organized, get involved, and make new friends. It wasn’t perfect, but those habits helped me grow and learn. If you’re starting high school or anywhere in your journey, focus on finding what works for you and keep pushing to improve every day. You got this!