New Freshmen

Having only a few weeks left of my freshman year of high school, I think I’ve learned quite a lot about both high school and life. I know I haven’t learned everything; after all, I still have three more years. However, I wrote this to give some advice to all the teens and tweens out there about to start high school. Don’t care about what other people think about you. I know it’s hard and I struggle with it often, but your life will be a lot happier if you ignore them.

If you’re constantly stressing about what your best friend heard the popular girl say that her boyfriend heard that somebody said about you, you won’t be able to focus on the people who think you’re awesome and yourself. Stay true to yourself. If other people don’t like you for the way you are, that’s their problem, not yours. Your true friends will like to hang out with you for you, no matter how weird, smart, crazy, or awkward you might be, or at least think you are. Grades matter.

Don’t mess around your freshman year. Colleges look at grades and your GPA even from the ninth grade. So even though it seems far away, it’s important to keep college in the back of your mind. Learn to let stuff roll off your back. You can’t take everything everyone says to you personally or you’ll be miserable.

I’ve had a hard time with this myself. People might be dealing with things outside of school, and what they say might not really have anything to do with you or what you did. Do what you love. If you love to cheerlead, debate, play lacrosse, or even work math problems in your spare time, if it’s something you love, do it. No matter how many people tell you you’re crazy or weird.

You don’t need a boyfriend to have fun. Even though it might seem like everyone but you has had one or does have one, they’re not necessary. Sometimes I want one, but other times I look at all the stress it puts my friends and other people in my grade through, and think I’m better off. Get out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Run for president of Beta club or student council, try out for that team you thought you’d never make, audition for the school play.

I’m generally a pretty shy person, and have a fear of rejection and embarrassment. But it feels good to do something out of the ordinary, and it usually pays off. In truth, high school probably won’t be the best years of your life. You’ll get made fun of, stressed, and mad, both at yourself and the world. But if you find the right friends and the right mindset those four years, it can be pretty fun, too.

At least, so far.