Congratulations on entering high school! The next 4 years will undoubtedly transform not just your academic interests and future career plans, but also who you are as a person as you grow and mature over the course of your high school career. I hope that this article can serve as a recourse to help guide you through this next part of your educational journey!
1) Stay organized and on top of your school work. The transition to high school isn’t easy. From the increase in workload and expectations to the seemingly never-ending pressures to put more work on your plate, remember that your number one priority should always be your academic success. Keeping your grades up this year will set you up for a successful three more years down the line. Whether you prefer keeping assignments in an organized binder or setting aside 30 minutes a day after school to study or do homework, building good academic habits this year will take you far.
2) Join clubs and sports. Extracurricular activities at school are great ways to meet people from all grade levels who share similar interests as you. Whether you love the arts and crafts, or learning languages or playing ultimate frisbee (like me!) or anything in between, being a part of an extracurricular at school outside of academics is incredibly rewarding. You never know what will be your new favorite pastime.
3) Have an open mind about making friends, and branch out! For those introverts out there, I totally feel you! Putting yourself out there to so many people can be totally overwhelming. It also doesn’t have to be all at once. Little steps here and there make the difference, from sitting with someone who is alone at lunch to chatting with a classmate about your favorite TV show. Joining clubs is another great way to surround yourself with like-minded people and create relationships with other students beyond your grade level.
4) Utilize the school’s resources. Not only is CRLS an incredible high school with outstanding academics and extracurricular opportunities, there are so many resources out there for students to access, including free and anonymous health care at the Teen Health Center, free tutoring services, help finding a job, prepare for college, and so much more! Take advantage of all of them, because we are incredibly fortunate to have these opportunities at the high school.
5) Be yourself! Yes, I know that it’s cheesy and cliché, but it’s also very true! Let your personality shine, and the right people will find their way to you. Like I said, be open to making new friends and meeting new people, because you never know who will become your best friend. Additionally, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there; even if its kinda scary, if something interests you, do it! You only get to have this experience once, so make the most of it.
I hope you found this helpful! I am so excited for you to start this new chapter of your academic story, and I hope you enjoy every second of it!
This article also appears in our September 2024 print edition.
