Freshman year is a start of new beginnings, an exciting jump from middle school to high school. When you walk through the big main office doors, you’re welcomed with many opportunities. It can be a challenging first couple of weeks while you are still getting the hang of things so as a senior here’s some advice.

School can get extremely overwhelming and it’s important to manage your time wisely. As someone who struggles with time management, it is helpful to write out what homework and assignments you have to do and when the due date is for each one. Buying a school planner is so beneficial because you can keep track of what you have to do. If you can’t buy a planner, you can make a checklist in a notebook or make a Google Doc.

More importantly, show your teachers respect and be kind to them. Having a good relationship with your teachers can benefit you so much throughout the next four years. It can make it easier when you have to ask for help. You must communicate your needs with your teachers so that they know how they can help you. If teachers know your circumstances, they can be more understanding.

One of the biggest perks to high school is being able to meet new people from the other merging middle schools. It gives you many opportunities to make new friends. The people you surround yourself with matters and impacts what people think of you. You should be friends with people who support you and make you feel good about yourself. When you surround yourself with people who constantly put you down or don’t support you, it can negatively affect your mental health. Learning how to balance school with your social life and mental health is key to succeeding. There will be times when you will be pushed to your limits, you have to learn what works for you and what resources will help you get out.

As a student, falling behind in your work is inevitable. Sometimes in life, there are instances that are beyond our control and school cannot be your number one priority. If this is ever something you go through, my best advice to you is to talk to your teachers and see if there is anything they can do to help. Throughout the year, make sure you only ask for extensions when you really need them but always know your teachers are there for you to rely on.

Going into your sophomore year, challenge yourself, take those honors and AP classes. It may seem early, but colleges love to see students challenging themselves all throughout high school, with classes getting more rigorous each year.

I hope you can have a successful year with my advice. Give it your all and don’t give up!