Rookie » Advice From Sophomores to High School Freshmen

Advice From Sophomores to High School Freshmen

“Love yourself, and it will be easier to navigate this maze of confusion.”

Rookie 08/26/2015

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Hi, freshmen. Here’s some advice from someone who was, a year ago, in your exact situation. Some of these things I wish I’d known myself, and some of these are just the things everyone needs to know going into ninth grade:

1. High school is a lot of fun. It’s clichéd, but you’ll simultaneously hate it and love it. It goes by quickly. Please make freshman year worth remembering.

2. Please study. Especially for Honors Biology.

3. I’m sure people have told you before, but ASK QUESTIONS. I still have to remind myself to do this. It will help so much. Nobody will think anything about it/you, I promise.

4. Homecoming is amazing and [corny] and it’s the first time you’ll feel true school pride. Bring a Polaroid camera to your friends’ houses and take pictures before the dance.

5. Bring a charger.

6. Make friends with upperclassmen. Make friends with the juniors that you’ll still have another year with next year. Hang out with them over the summer.

7. Don’t fall for juniors from other schools. (If you do, cry about it with your friends. Make sure to talk to them, on the phone or in person. In long-distance crush-things like this, you can’t just rely on texts.)

8. Get involved. You never know where you’ll find a family.

9. Finals are terrible. Study.

10. Don’t procrastinate.

11. The friends you knew coming into school may not be your friends when you end in June. People change. You’re gonna change. It’ll be OK.

12. If you have a turnabout [dance] at your school, ask your friend instead of a crush.

13. Netflix is amazing, and if you can’t find what you need on it, Putlocker is a beautiful website. Don’t overuse it and mess up your sleep schedule. I speak from experience.

14. You’ll find a way to balance everything.

15. You don’t need to have everything figured out by the end of the year. No matter how much pressure you have on you, it’s OK to not know.

16. Stage crew is one of the best extracurriculars you can be a part of. Believe me.

17. You’re gonna have a few all-nighters. Don’t make it a habit.

18. School is extremely important, but you definitely need to make time for friends. Make sure you have an amazing group of people.

19. It’s OK to take mental health days.

20. Going to a dance without a date is perfectly fine, and honestly nobody cares.

21. High school isn’t going to always be like a John Hughes movie, no matter how much you want it to be. It’s OK.

22. It’s inevitable, but try to avoid as much drama as you can. It’s draining and tiring and, overall, a waste of time.

23. Hand in your homework on time.

24. Relax. You’re gonna have a great year. —Fiona, 15, Illinois

****I wish that I was told to stay away from the bad kids!!!! They’ll do nothing but drag you down with them. Also, skipping class isn’t worth it WHATSOEVER!! Make sure you give all assignments 110 percent because your GPA will suffer, and you’ll have to work 10 times harder sophomore year :) Good luck! —Morgan, 15, Texas

****1. Walk on the right side of the hallway. Please.
2. The upperclassmen are willing to help if you need anything.
3. Breathe in, breathe out. —Roni, Montana

****Freshmen! If you’re suuuper overwhelmed, talk to a counselor. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Take mental health days when you need them. If anxiety or depression or any other mental health problem is making irl school terrible, online school might be an option! I switched to one this year, and I’m doing sooo much better. No matter how bad it gets, freshman year will end! You can get through it. —Sky, 15, Ohio

****Know who to trust. I made the mistake of telling some friends at the beginning of freshman year some information that they then told everyone, and it really hurt me. I would advise you to know who is a good friend and not just a gossiper. It can be pretty tricky to tell the difference. Be 100 percent yourself! Not being yourself can cause you to befriend people that obviously aren’t really people you enjoy. So it’s just a bad idea. —Delilah, 15, California

****Something I really wish I’d been told when I started high school is to not to choose your friends based on popularity or status but rather acceptance, trust, and open-mindedness. Don’t waste your time on people who make you feel physically and emotionally drained, or make you feel bad about yourself and life. There are so many lovely people that you could have great friendships with—you just have to be open and friendly and trust your gut instinct. I wish I’d made friendships with great people when I was younger because it’s harder to get to know people when everyone’s settled in, and you don’t want to end up in a friendship group that makes you miserable. —Isla, 16, England

****The advice I wish I had been given before my freshman year is don’t stress about making mistakes or meeting new people, and don’t be afraid to ask people questions. I actually had an even harder situation because I came from Poland to the U.S., and I knew nobody. I had a pretty big language barrier; also, I was ashamed of my accent. I was so scared the first day because I couldn’t find my next class (not mentioning that the school is really big, and I kept getting lost even after two weeks of school) that I almost started to cry! But I finally asked someone where should I go, and guess what? The girl I asked brought me to all the classes I had that day! So freshies, remember that people don’t bite :) SCHOOL IS COOL (not really). —Marta, 15, New Jersey

****High school is tough—and it can be very intimidating. My biggest advice/tip is to have confidence. A lot of people struggle with confidence at this age, including myself, especially this past year. Try to join clubs, or do what you are passionate about. You don’t have to be cool with the upperclassmen, you don’t have to do extreme things for attention, you don’t have to live out that crazy expectation high school carries with it! Love yourself, and it will be easier to navigate this maze of confusion. Be confident, be strong, love yourself, and focus on what matters—your mental health and well-being. —Kelly, 15, Houston ♦

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15 Comments

ahhahahahahahahxod August 26th, 2015 11:44 PM
another tip of advice– do not trust the “cool kids”.
the nicest kids are the ones who laugh at stupid online shit and have their own personality/style.

also… do not be friends with anyone fake. ever. cut it out. i promise.

and try your best. don’t pull any all nighters. freshman year isn’t that serious. take care of YOURSELF.
diyana August 26th, 2015 11:45 PM
i wish i’d had a guide like this handy when i started high school! i just graduated, and I wanna offer some really general advise: please stay true to yourself. seriously. life is so much more fun when you don’t pretend to like things (or not to like things) to impress other people, and living this way is essential in weeding out your real friends. never let anyone try to make you feel shitty for who you are or what you love. it took me up until around the end of freshman year to realize this, and i became SO much happier when i stopped living to impress other people. it can be really easy to fall into the trap of conforming when you’re trying to make new friends, but i promise that you are more than enough the way you are and you don’t need to change yourself for anyone. good luck! :)
- Erin. August 27th, 2015 10:16 AM
  Completely agree with this. Stay true to yourself! Don’t let people pressure you into things. I know that taking risks and getting outside your comfort zone can be important for personal growth, but at the same time, if something makes you truly uncomfortable, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Don’t sacrifice yourself to fit in. If you’re unsure about something, take all the time you need to think about it before acting on anything.
  
  Also, volunteer! In the school, in your community. Volunteering with the school play/drama dept. can be really fun. So, like, if you audition for the play and don’t get in, don’t give up! Ask if there’s anything you can do to help out (stage crew, costumes, etc). If you show that you’re committed to it, you’ll probably have a better chance of getting into the next play.
Sophie Mich August 27th, 2015 6:37 AM
this came at a good time- I start on Monday :)
bestmeghanever August 27th, 2015 7:20 AM
There are so many things I would like to have changed from my first year of high school. Where I live high school starts in 7th grade, so I was even more awkward back then. I feel like the confidence tip is the main one here, because I reckon making friends with everybody is the best start to anything. It’s also a matter of having a sense of self-worth, because letting status and other people’s opinions dictate how you feel about yourself will always end in discontentment.

-M
anixstar August 27th, 2015 9:41 AM
Argh, I’m a sophomore and I totally missed this thing! Whatever, I’ll still give my advice:

1. You don’t need a boyfriend. I spent like 40% of my time freshman year obsessing over one boy or another, concocting convoluted plans to talk to them, or to ask them to a dance or get their numbers. None of it worked, and instead of focusing on making new friends, I sat in my room wondering what I was doing wrong. I really regret doing that, so if you don’t have a boyfriend, chill.

2. Don’t not join clubs because you’re “too new” and “don’t know anybody.” I moved all the way across the world for highschool, so I REALLY didn’t know anybody, but I missed out on awesome clubs like the Thespians because I was shy. If there’s something you want to be a part of, GRAB IT and don’t let go. You will have fun, even if you’re a newbie (says the only sophomore in Marching Band who’s standing with the freshmen), because there are always other newbies, and you will make friends!

Good luck my ducklings (as my 9th grade social studies teacher used to say).
gentleman honey farmer August 27th, 2015 3:35 PM
I’m 27 and a lot of this advice still applies. I cannot express how much I wish Rookie had existed when I was in high school! It is SO important to love yourself. Love to all Rookies everywhere <3
adacharlotte August 27th, 2015 4:45 PM
This is great! (And perfect timing, yesterday was my first day)
punk-m August 27th, 2015 5:01 PM
I’m a rising junior, and all of this is stuff I wish I knew two years ago.
My advice is as follows.
1. If you don’t want to talk to people in the hall inbetween classes, make sure you have a playlist that makes you feel focused and powerful.
2. Don’t worry about who you eat lunch with, and eating in classrooms is nothing to be ashamed of.
3. Always study for tests, do even the smallest homework, and google it if you don’t understand.
4. STAGE CREW STAGE CREW STAGE CREW! I wish I found crew when I was a freshman, but I found it last year. These are the best people you will ever meet. It is a great mix of all of the social groups, and they will accept you no matter what. They are now my family, and crew is a great suport system, a fun activity, and looks good for college.
5. Don’t feel pressured to try drugs or anything like that. If you do chose to try anything, make sure you are in a safe environment, with people that have your best interests at heart.
6. Eat regular meals. And if you need to snack, no one cares if you eat in class, just don’t eat too many crunchy things.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask for study help.
8. Go to sleep on time. Please.
- Ava-Maria August 30th, 2015 11:40 AM
  Omg thank you so much punk-m and (as always) thanks Rookie! I’m only an eighth grader but this was really interesting. I feel like I’m less nervous for next year (maybe?!) :)
ceceblogger August 27th, 2015 5:03 PM
id say to be outgoing and not being afraid to do something because it may seem ‘lame’ or ‘uncool’. be yourself man!!
tweeenyeezus August 27th, 2015 5:55 PM
Ah! I wish I’d had this while entering high school. Here’s some more advice from a rising junior.

1. If you have bangs, KEEP A COMB IN YOUR BAG. Also helpful to keep in your bag: pads/tampons, chapstick, mints, headphones, charger, hairbands, and painkillers. Don’t be afraid to hand one of these to another girl – it’s super sweet and may even start a conversation.

2. Don’t wait until you have 18 missed assignments and a panic attack to ask for help. Your teachers are literally paid to make sure you’re understanding what’s happening.

3. Make friends with your guidance counsellor and school secretary. They can excuse your absences, get you into the classes you want, and give you candy.

4. I know people already said this, but don’t be afraid to go to dances alone. The first dance of freshman year, I decided I needed a date to impress people. All that happened was I spent money and effort on a boy that asked “Why can’t they play real music, like My Chemical Romance?”

5. Like what you like, and let other people like what they like. You are not better than anyone else because you like Interpol and they like Fifth Harmony. Oh god, if I’d realized this sooner.

6. On the same note, don’t judge people by their appearances. Your best friends could be (very often are) the people whom you seem to have the least in common with on the surface.

7. You are not going to die if you have to sit alone at your lunch table for a few minutes.

8. It’s totally ok to skip one night of homework in favor of Netflix.

9. The school printers will never, EVER have ink OR paper. Plan ahead.
unusuallykt August 28th, 2015 1:22 AM
I wish this came out when I was a freshman. Anyhow, these tips are still greatly applicable considering I just started my sophomore year also. Thanks so much for this.
YanaOh August 28th, 2015 7:39 PM
I’m gonna be the freshmen in 4 days! I’m very afraid and stressed about it. That’s why thanks for such good advices. It makes me calmer ahah

-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-“-”
am.mom September 1st, 2015 11:24 PM
this is beautiful and i wish i had it when i was a freshman

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