<p>^This is good advice overall, but I disagree with the part about being a try-hard. It just shows that you actually care about your work, and once you graduate no one will care what kind of person you were. If they’re calling you a try-hard, they’re probably just jealous of your grades.</p>
<p>DO enjoy your year… Freshman year was the best year of my life.
DON’T fret about it… </p>
<p>DO your assignments on time…
DON’T procrastinate, it’s a bad habit.</p>
<p>DO study if you want to.
DON’T try to show off how smart you are. Don’t wine either… Chances are, someone has it worse than you do.</p>
<p>DO try to be nice to everyone… Be nice, people like that. People like funny people too.
DON’T be afraid of upperclassmen. I’m a senior and about half of my friends are juniors. </p>
<p>DO use correct grammer… It’s annoying when you don’t.
DON’T be pedantic and correct everyone else’s grammar, that’s annoying too. </p>
<p>DO try to act mature.
DON’T try to act older than you are… Our school has a kid who’s a rising junior (with a babyface. =P) who tries to act like everything’s ohh so serious and amazingly important… No one likes him, not a single person in the entire school. </p>
<p>DO be confident, but not cocky. Being jokingly arrogant’s okay at times though, as long as it’s obvious you’re joking.
DON’T put yourself down… If you really feel that way, don’t, chances are you aren’t as bad as you think… And people might think you’re doing it for attention. </p>
<p>In short, unless you’re already an annoying person, you’ll be fine. (=</p>
<p>In terms of college; just do what you love. Volunteer at places that interest you, perhaps start a club that revolves around something that you like, and keep up with your academics. If you’re taking SAT IIs/AP, then study for those and don’t wait until last minute to cram.</p>
<p>Don’t overestimate high school LOL.</p>
<p>When I was in 5th grade I watched so many movies/TV shows in high school settings and they freaked me out so much. These stereotypes about high school revolving around drama/bullying/cliques/etc scared the heck out of me and so I was scared to enter high school. There are no cliques/etc at my high school. There’s drugs and of course most upperclassmen are fairly condescending towards freshmen, but that’s about it. xD (And by condescending I don’t mean like-bullying where they act extremely sanctimonious and bash you and physically bully you. I mean condescending as in during casual convos the upperclassmen are like “yeah they’re just freshmen, we’re so much cooler because we’re older” and booing at pep rallies LOL)</p>
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<p>I went from being an unliked chatty know-it-all to being a quieter, calmer, humbler (well, comparatively speaking) decently liked person.</p>
<p>It’s too bad most people still dislike me and treat me like a freak and act like i’m the town gossip even though I don’t know anyone. It’s pretty heartbreaking once in a while when i’m having a bad day (and feeling hormonal), but the people who don’t like me are people I don’t care to know.</p>
<p>So @OP; don’t worry about what people think about you, but as another poster said, weigh their criticisms and don’t write them off so easily. Also, don’t write off your fellow classmates negatively. I did that early on and i’m only just learning that there’s more to them than meets the eye (and i’m going to be a senior). It’s been a pleasant experience to get to know people, but it’s a little embarrassing to me to have judged people so quickly.</p>
<p>Do not throw away your future for drugs and alcohol</p>
<p>At the same time, do not avoid people who do these things because you feel morally superior to them. Many of them are bright, academically-oriented kids who just do these things to relax on the weekends. You might decide to become one of them. And that’s totally fine, as long as you maintain balance. </p>
<p>My life, and myself as a person, changed so much (for the better) by ignoring my preconceived notions and having a little fun.</p>
<p>Enjoy high school. It all works out in the end.</p>
<p>I had just graduated from high school. Some things I wish I did differently in Freshman year/that others did bad in Freshman year:
- DON’T get started on drugs. Just don’t. I don’t want to sound innocent, because trust me I’m not haha, but drugs did some badd things to people I knew who were so smart.
- Do not be naive. This is kind of hard because high school is new, but just think of it this way - if you wouldn’t do it in middle school, don’t do it in high school. Be smart in your decisions and think for the future.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Get involved! Join clubs, try out a sport, make friends.
- Have fun! High school can be either the best time of your life, or the worse - either way, try to make the most of it.</p>
<p>Have fun, hang with friends. You’re only a teenager once, and you really should enjoy your time. Of course though, make sure you work hard. </p>
<p>I became depressed from the beginning of freshman year to almost halfway through sophomore year (my friend committed suicide and that really messed me up) and school didn’t seem important anymore, so I put it on the back burner. HUGE MISTAKE. It might not have been entirely my fault, but not really trying my hardest at school has put me in a hard place now. My dream college now appears to be just a dream, and even my second and third choices may be hard to get into. </p>
<p>You’re only a teenager once, but your years in high school can’t be rewound, they’re permanent. Make the most of them</p>
<p>Be an observer, see what the atmosphere is in your classes and how best to fit in. Don’t overdo the partying, have fun but don’t lose yourself. Join some clubs that interest you, and be open minded as you are exposed to new things, that is the biggest lesson in college.</p>
<p>Academically:</p>
<p>1) Sit in the front of the class whenever possible. When you’re right there under the teacher’s nose, it’s much harder to talk to friends, check your phone, or drift off into a daydream. It forces you to pay attention, making it so much easier to absorb the material.</p>
<p>2) Participate in class discussions and ask lots of questions. This shows the teacher that you’re interested in the subject and want to learn, and that can sometimes make the teacher a little more forgiving when grading your papers.</p>
<p>3) Keep a little notebook to write down your homework assignments, projects, and upcoming tests and quizzes. Get into the habit of writing it in every day, in every class… even if you don’t have any homework, just write “no homework today.” This makes it impossible to forget about an assignment or test.</p>
<p>4) Set aside a block of time each night for homework/study, and get rid of all distractions. Turn off the TV; leave your cell phone in another room; and by all means, don’t take a “quick peek” at facebook (or CC) in between problems. Studying without distractions will not only help you absorb the material better, but you’ll be finished a lot quicker!</p>
<p>5) Before a big test, ask a few people to come over or meet at Starbucks to study together. Ideally, invite some people who take good notes or really understand the material… and avoid anyone who you know will goof around. Studying with others can be really helpful. Plus, when others are counting on you being there, you’re less likely to blow it off.</p>
<p>6) Strike up some friendships with other people who care about their grades. It’s easier to stay focused on school when you have friends with the same goals. And you’ll always have someone you can call if you have questions about an assignment.</p>
<p>7) If there’s something you’re not understanding, get help as soon as possible, before you get too behind or frustrated. Take advantage of your teacher’s tutoring times, and if that doesn’t help, use a private tutor until you get past the problem. Paying for a tutor can be expensive, but it’s an investment in your future so it’s worth the time and money!</p>
<p>Socially:</p>
<p>1) Be genuinely nice and friendly to everyone… and that means everyone! Try to make friends with people from all different groups. You don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but being on friendly terms with a wide range of people will really expand and enhance your social life.</p>
<p>2) Don’t be intimidated by people you perceive as cooler/smarter/more popular than you… even the upperclassmen. It’s okay to smile or say “hey” when you pass them in the hall. They’re really no different from anyone else; everyone likes a friendly person, and if you’re nice to them, they’ll be nice to you.</p>
<p>3) Be the person that people can trust. If you gossip or talk behind people’s backs, your friends will assume that you’ll talk about them, too… and they’ll stop trusting and confiding in you. </p>
<p>4) Be forgiving. Your friends are going to screw up sometimes and do things that hurt you… most of the time unintentionally, but sometimes even on purpose. At some point you’re going to be talked about, treated badly or feel left out, even by your best friends. Try not to hold a grudge or make a huge deal of it. Drama just makes it worse. Forgive them and move on… it will really make your life more pleasant. </p>
<p>5) Keep in mind that true popularity means being liked and respected by everyone, not just a handful of people in the “cool group.” If you ever want to be voted team captain, class officer, homecoming queen/king, etc., remember that it will require votes from the majority of your classmates, including people beyond your circle of close friends. Gaining that type of widespread respect and admiration means being a genuinely decent person who treats everyone with kindness and respect.</p>
<p>Join a couple of clubs or teams that you are really passionate about, and stick with them for all four years. Once you’ve been in them for a couple years, try to get officer positions.</p>
<p>Do
- Befriend some upperclassman (but don’t try to hard), they are often the most helpful people because they have already been through it all
- Join clubs you are interested in and put in the work to do well (especially if it is a club that involves competition)
- Have fun, don’t let the stress get to you</p>
<p>Don’t
- Stop and talk on the stairs, it makes everybody else mad
- Become one of those annoying freshman, so no yelling in the halls or annoying the upperclassman
- Annoy the teachers</p>
<p>What’s the appropriate spending allowance for freshmen?</p>
<p>Umm…this is the High School Life forum, try asking here</p>
<p>[College</a> Life - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/]College”>College Life - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Books and food are the most expensive things for me, if those don’t count I personally spent very little last year, but everybody is different.</p>
<p>Get involved with any EC that even remotely interests you. Believe me, by sophomore year, you’ll have dropped a lot of bad clubs/groups/etc. and it’s always good to have a lot. That way you don’t feel like you don’t have to stay in one you don’t like.</p>
<p>You don’t have to like bow down to upperclassmen, but you shouldn’t try to (a) boss them around, (b) be a know-it-all, or (c) try to tick them off. Most upperclassmen are harmless and just want to go throughout the day without conflict so they’ll shrug it off, but some will not tolerate nonsense.</p>
<p>That being said, there are always those annoying seniors that do stuff like “freshman fishing” or other mean stuff, so just watch out for them, and I’d recommend avoiding them in the halls and classes. There are nice upperclassmen to befriend, so it’s not worth it with the jerky ones.</p>
<p>Most importantly, take the time to have fun and enjoy high school. It’s a totally new experience from middle/elementary school, so enjoy it and make new friends, try new things, and grow as a person. (As cheesy as all that sounds.)</p>
<p>Do try to make friends.
Don’t go out and just party with upperclassmen all the time. You will get yourself into situations you cannot handle and the rest of your class may not like you as much.
Do study.
Don’t stress about every little thing.
Take advantage of opportunities for help that are given to you. You are not too good for assistance.
Don’t waste too much energy in your romantic relationships.
Put forth effort, take challenging courses, and CARE about your grades as a freshman.
Don’t argue with your parents if it’s over something stupid.
Don’t post stuff on your facebook, twitter, instagram, etc that makes you sound like a wild child. Colleges will be able to see what you posted.
Try to keep your locker organized.
Go to bed AT A DECENT TIME before finals. Usually I’m up late (like 1 am at least) doing stuff for school, but during finals I made a point to go to bed at 10:30 and eat a good breakfast. It makes a difference.
Go to your school dances. Try to be social.
Don’t judge other people just because they sin differently from you.
Don’t ridicule someone because they are “strange”. Like what? No need for that.
Don’t get into an academic rivalry with another student. Worry about yourself.
Do love yourself.
Volunteer! It’s awesome!
Find a club or sport that you like. If you don’t play sports, I would recommend cross country (well at least at my school). It’s really fun with a lot of team bonding, and you don’t have to be a great runner. Or even a good runner. Also I don’t believe cross county “cuts” people. It’s a good way to get in shape and have the figure you always wanted 
as well as learn perseverance and relieve stress.
Don’t be rude to upperclassmen.
Ask upperclassmen for advice. </p>
<p>That’s all I can think of for now.</p>
<p>Just join a sport now. Commit to it.</p>
<p>“Don’t post stuff on your facebook, twitter, instagram, etc that makes you sound like a wild child. Colleges will be able to see what you posted.”
-this is bs, dont worry about it.</p>
<p>^this. You will meet many awesome people. </p>
<p>Don’t forget that a split second can change your life forever in a bad way.</p>
<p>Take every opportunity that comes your way. Whether you believe in fate or just chance, freshman year is all about finding your interests. I feel so incredibly lucky that I found FBLA and Journalism. One was by my listening to a speech given at Club Rush, and the other was simple luck that I got had the Journalism teacher for English, and he inspired me to join. Don’t let things slip away. Try everything, see what you like, and keep it.</p>
<p>Also, the greatest resource for school advice that I’ve found so far, other than teachers, is upperclassmen, particularly seniors. They’ve been where you are, and they have learned a lot. Asking on the internet is fine, but it’s best to talk to people who have experience with your particular school and faculty.</p>
<p>Adding on to tiger, you’d be surprised how much upperclassmen don’t mind freshman. If freshmen ask me a question i’m more than happy to answer it. I love chatting with underclassmen about the classes they take and what they think about X teacher or how to get to Y hallway or how to survive Z class. Again, being polite and calm is key.</p>
<p>Basically, most upperclassmen ignore freshman. It’s the minority that intentionally mislead them that speak for everyone.</p>