What to Expect in High School?

Despite being the start of a new phase of life, high school demands can still be overwhelming for anybody. The earlier you start to prepare for the challenges that will come, the better for you. Your freshman year is usually the time to set yourself up for success throughout school. Of course, college is still far off, but your actions now can even affect your chances of gaining college admission. This is why educators often advise high school students to take their freshman year as seriously as they’ll take every other year. Wondering how you’ll cope in high school? This article contains every piece of information you’ll need to beat your high school freshman struggles and become successful in the long run.

What is High School Like for Freshmen?

Freshman year in high school is usually a big transition for students. The whole experience of moving to a new building, meeting new people, starting to think about your future, and taking more intense classes can be overwhelming for many people.

Freshman year is the stage that sets you up for your high school experience. Your handling of this stage will usually be the deciding factor of whether you’ll fail or succeed throughout high school years. You are either starting new clubs or exploring new extracurricular activities. Even when selecting classes, you’ll usually do it with an eye for the future. Add this to your efforts to choose good friends, and you can tell that there will be so much to juggle.

The good part of it all is that you are not the only one on this train. Many other people have undergone the transition before, and you can tap into their knowledge to successfully move to high school. The next sections in this article will highlight some of the high school freshman struggles and suggest escape routes for you.

What are the Struggles of High School Freshman Students?

There’s no doubting the fact that high school is filled with fun and beautiful experiences. However, the sudden switch of activities from what you were used to in elementary and middle school can make freshman year a bit challenging. It’ll take some time to adjust to the new routines and hit the ground running. However, this won’t take anything away from the fun, as long as you do the right thing. Remember that freshman year serves as a time for middle school to high school transition, and like everything new, it comes with some challenges. Here are some of the common challenges to expect in high school freshman year.

Academic Stress

High school comes with a change in academic dynamics. You’ll find the educational system to be different from what you are used to in middle school. And of course, that means more difficulty getting an A. It usually takes a few days to get used to the new academic system. A sure way to put yourself at an advantage is to attend every lecture and take your studies more seriously than before. Take notes during lectures and learn to finish your homework on time. Developing these habits on time during freshman year will help you in the long run.

Financial Challenges

It’s common for students to battle with financial challenges in their freshman year. They are just gaining full independence from their parents and are now in charge of managing their finances. You’ll probably hear during one of the orientation programs that sorted finance is a sorted life. Therefore, it’ll be best for you to learn how to budget your finances from the start. Habits like eating out every day will negatively affect your finances and set you up for bankruptcy.

Time Management

Although often overlooked, time management is one of the biggest challenges students face in their first high school days. Unlike elementary schools, high schools force students to do so much within a short period. At this point, students will have to learn to be multitasking geniuses to get over the loads of work that comes with high school. Most times, all the activities seem equally important, making it hard to abandon one for the other. This is where efficient time management techniques come into play. Listing out everything you want to achieve for the week and scheduling different times for them is a good place to start learning to manage time.

What Should You Expect from Your First Year in High School?

The whole idea of moving to high school can be exciting for anybody. But the whole excitement can soon die down, leaving you to face the reality of your new environment. Here, let’s get a preview of what you can expect as you look to transition to high school fully.

Challenging Courses

The first thing most people notice in high school is the challenging nature of their new subjects. At this stage, students get introduced to the core of several subjects. It can take some level of effort to begin to get used to the new dynamics of your subjects.

More Time for Extracurricular Activities

Yes, you were introduced to extracurricular activities in middle school. But high schools take extracurricular activities to a whole new level. If you played football or joined the choir in middle school, you can expect to do more in high school. Also, you get the chance to join several activities at Once. However, we generally advise students to avoid cluttering their schedules with too many extracurricular activities. Prioritize activities that will help you grow and probably take on leadership positions.

You’ll Find New People

Freshman year in high school is a big transition. Students move to a new building and offer more courses than they used to. It’s like starting school afresh, and you are bound to meet many new people from different districts. If you are not prepared for this, the number of new people you’ll meet can make socialization more difficult for you.

You’ll enjoy it

Undoubtedly, the beginning of high school can be fascinating, especially with the number of new activities lined up for you. Of course, there’ll be challenges and rough patches on the way, but it’ll still be a fun ride. You’ll learn a lot of new things and meet new people in your first year. Always remember that high school is meant to prepare you for college. Hence, the need to hold on tight to your education while pursuing other fun activities.

How to Prepare for High School?

Transitioning to high school comes with a blend of excitement and unique challenges. Students must learn of possible challenges and prepare for them beforehand to not get caught up in the fast pace of high school life. Here are some of the things you can do to prepare better for high school.

Buy your school supply

A vital place to start your preparation is by buying everything you’ll need to go through the first few days in school. Some high school classes start lectures on the first day of school resumption, and not having your school supplies ready can set you back academically. Besides, you’ll need all the time you can get to settle into your new environment. Everything can be so hectic that you’ll not find time to go to the market.

Figure out how to get to school

This might look small, but it’s part of the things that matter. Your preparations should include figuring out how to get to school. If you intend to take a bus to school every day, figure out where your bus stop is and when the school bus arrives. If your parents drop you off at school every day, still figure out where they are supposed to drop you off. Make plans to leave earlier on the first day because you never can tell where you’ll come across a traffic jam.

Get to know the campus

High schools are usually bigger and more organized than middle schools. Unlike elementary and middle schools, you’ll barely find anybody to take you around on your first day. So, if you have the opportunity, attend a high school orientation or take a walk around your new school beforehand, marking important landmarks.

Brush up on some core courses

Most high schools are structured to consolidate some of the things you’ve learned in middle school. So, first-year teachers will approach their subjects with the assumption that you remember what you learned in middle school. It’s crucial that you remember what you’ve learned in middle school. It would help if you can take a bit of time to review your old notes and brush up on some knowledge over the summer. It doesn’t need to take too much time. Just a glance through your books will help to refresh your memory and get you ready for new tasks.

5 Advice for Incoming High School Freshman

Perhaps, you’ve heard people talk about how challenging high school can be. Truly, transitioning is difficult, and unless you do the right things, you may be setting yourself up for failure throughout high school. Thankfully, several people have attended high school before you. Most of them have something to say about their experiences. Picking up bits of their experiences and learning from them can help you overcome freshman year pressure. Here are some high school freshman advice and tips you should know before going to high school.

Challenge yourself in school

It’s easier for you to select subjects that will give you a soft landing, but most of them don’t challenge you to be your best. We advise students to choose subjects that will stretch their knowledge and skills. The level of enthusiasm that such subjects bring will help you both in the classroom and beyond.

Get the best grades

Yes, it can feel like a struggle, but you can get the best grades in high school with the right efforts. Remember that your freshman year counts, so don’t get too carried away with the new activities that you forget to study hard. Put in your best efforts and work towards having the best grades possible.

Create relationships with teachers

The truth is that you’ll always need the assistance of your teacher to succeed in high school. You don’t want to feel awkward about meeting them for assistance outside class time. Make the extra effort to create a relationship with them. Apart from helping you in school, they’ll also be available to write recommendations for your college application.

Find extracurricular activities

It may seem like there’s too much to do in very little time, but you can’t overlook extra-curricular activities. Your school has arranged these activities to help you build essential skills. Figure out your areas of interest and join activities that align with them. It could be sports, volunteering, or clubs.

Make meaningful friends

Freshman year in high school offers you an opportunity to meet new and exciting people. However, it’s always important to study the character of anybody before making them your friend. You don’t need to rush into making new friends. Take your time to find people you share common goals and aspirations with.

Wrapping Things Up: What to Expect in High School?

Moving to high school is a big leap for students. Moving to new classes, meeting new people, and being taught by new teachers can be overwhelming for any teenager. It’s completely normal for slight anxiety and nervousness to creep in and spoil the whole excitement for you. Many students complain about how difficult it is for them to transition to high school. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult for you. All the information in this article will help you adjust quickly to the new schedule of high school. We’ve also included potential challenges and possible routes out of them as you transition to high school.