<p>Hmm?
This will be used for newbies entering High SchooL!</p>
<p>Well it depends what school you go to. My school is exactly like the high schools you see on TV (Not good). I wish I went to one of those public schools that you have to apply or take a test to get into. That would be fun.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Work hard. Don’t work hard. I see it like this: There are people who work really hard all through school to be accepted into a good college. Which is great. But then they have to work really hard in college (or at least feel that they do) to get a good job. Then they have to work really hard to keep the job. Etc. Take school seriously, but realize it’s a fairly futile goal to work so hard all through high school and neglect anything fun, because you’ll just be working hard for the rest of your life, and then by the time you’re 40 you might think, “Wow, that was stupid to care THAT much. I should’ve had a little fun.” I’m not advocating for doing a bunch of illegal things, but I think it really is important to keep in mind that high school doesn’t define the rest of your life. Anyone who thinks it does is ignorant or lying to themselves.</p></li>
<li><p>Have a good attitude. A lot of stuff that we have to learn in school might seem stupid and pointless. Too much homework, stress, drama, etc. But if you have a good attitude and are able to laugh at yourself and the stupid stuff high school brings, it’s not always as bad. I stress out a lot, but not as much as some kids. I guess that’s because I have some perspective, maybe, and think ahead. I also sometimes just step back about how a lot of kids in America (myself included) should be grateful to have an education.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Just because a school has a 9 rating on Greatschools doesn’t mean it’s really that great. Mostly if you have no friends like me.</p>
<p>Here are my 15 senior tips for freshmen:</p>
<ol>
<li>Lose the drama from middle school. It’s not cool, and it never ends well.</li>
<li>Be genuine. Fake people make fake friends.</li>
<li>Study. Because grades matter, and so do your college chances.</li>
<li>Get a summer job. That way you won’t waste your summers, and you can start saving.</li>
<li>Know that you both make and lose friends because people change, including you.</li>
<li>Don’t eat the school lunch if you can avoid it.</li>
<li>Challenge yourself. Not too much, but don’t take the easy road.</li>
<li>Get involved in extracurricular activities or sports.</li>
<li>Respect your teachers because if you were them, that is what you would want.</li>
<li>Do your homework. Just do it.</li>
<li>Don’t skip school - the risks are not worth it.</li>
<li>Keep school dances classy.</li>
<li>Don’t go looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend. If it’s meant to happen, it will.</li>
<li>Try not to stress too much. If your health is suffering, you need to reevaluate your priorities.</li>
<li>Go have fun! Don’t worry about what people think, just live crazy (& safe) and courageously!</li>
</ol>
<p>^^Basically everything he said</p>
<p>Copy-pasting this from a post I made on another forum lol. It’s more geared towards advice for teenagers in general but I think most of it still applies.</p>
<ol>
<li>Don’t sweat your guts out about whether or not people like you. It’s not worth it, and there will always be people who don’t like you. Instead, spend your precious energy on your academics, self-improvement, and with the people who do care about you.</li>
<li>Most teachers aren’t bad people even if many of them aren’t such great teachers. Know the difference.</li>
<li>People change during high school, oftentimes for the worse. Don’t hold it over people’s heads or let it get to you; it happens a lot, and usually these people don’t want to change back or for the better, so just let it go.</li>
<li>Enjoy your work. Please. If you can find joy in learning and make the effort to participate in class and to get to know and befriend the kids around you, you’ll have so much more fun in school.</li>
<li>College is important but it’s not the only thing that is. Furthermore, take the classes you take and do the extracurriculars you do not for college, but because you enjoy them, and because they show who you are. Most people can’t stand doing things they don’t like and tend not to be the type to slog their way through annoying activities, so if you’re that kind of person, don’t force yourself to do math competitions when you absolutely abhor mathematics. It will be a waste of time for you and may possibly damage your self-esteem.</li>
<li>Don’t be afraid to try new things, like learning weird subjects or picking up a new sport. But try not to do anything illegal or dangerous lol. High school is a great time to find yourself and parts of yourself you never knew were in you. </li>
<li>Have a healthy outlet to vent your frustrations, because there are probably going to be a lot.</li>
<li>You’re going to be changing a lot too. Life is always full of surprises and hopefully you’ll get a lot of pleasant ones!</li>
<li>I know I preached to do things you like and all, but sometimes you will have to do things you hate, and it’s important to identify those times and to develop the discipline you’ll need to get things done.</li>
<li>Compete against yourself. Chances are, you’re NOT going to go to some top 5 school or be valedictorian or the only freshman on the varsity team. Living in a largely Asian-dominated district, I can’t count the times I’ve met kids depressed or upset because all of a sudden they’re not getting straight As in high school anymore, but don’t sweat it! High school is supposed to be hard, and it’s when you’ll see the most differentiation between people’s grades. Instead of flipping out that you got the lowest math grades in the class (which I do consistently hurr hurr), just set high standards for yourself. Again, self-improvement. And, “Success isn’t about what position you reach in life, it’s about the obstacles you overcome.” Or something like that.</li>
</ol>
<p>There are so many things to say, but it’s likely better you find out some things on your own, too. :P</p>
<p>Geez, thanks you guys so much! I will read them over and over! Also, good thing we are getting a punching bag, I can now “vent” my frustrations 
</p>
<ol>
<li>Try lots of things freshman year! Don’t be scared to branch out. I tried an engineering club, a public speaking club, and a volunteer group- I ended up really sticking with two of them, but I’m glad I tried all three.</li>
<li>Get good grades freshman year. Please. You will thank yourself SO much when they bring up your cumulative GPA. I got around a 3.8 freshman year and I totally could have gotten a 4.0, so I regret that.</li>
<li>Don’t be afraid to branch out with meeting people and making friends. I’m really happy that I was outgoing at the beginning- I now have a close group of friends I love.</li>
<li>Form your good study habits asap! Even if your classes aren’t super hard, getting used to being organized, not procrastinating, studying, etc. will help you later on when it does get hard.</li>
<li>Speaking of which- be organized. Really organized. Figure out what works for you and go with it. I am totally dependent on my planner, I have a system of binders I like, etc. </li>
<li>Find a good balance between focusing on high school and college. If you’re on CC, it means you’re pretty knowledgeable about college apps- ok, more like <em>focused</em>, lots of people on CC aren’t very knowledgeable. It’s good to be cognizant of the importance of good grades, scores, etc, but making the most out of your high school years is important too. Remember that the Ivy League is a group of great schools but by no means the only great schools. Focus on working hard and doing well in school, finding extracurricular activities you really enjoy, making friends and forming good relationships with your teachers. There’s a great MIT article on “applying sideways” you should read.</li>
<li>Don’t be afraid to change. I am 20x more academically focused now that I’m in high school. I don’t hang out with the exact same people and I do a lot more work than my old friends. I’m ok with that. At the same time, if you were “nerdy”, don’t be afraid to go to parties and get that experience. (Be smart about it, clearly.)</li>
<li>This is probably not even applicable to most people on CC, but I would say- don’t get into drugs/alcohol. I have friends who drink and I’m known as the one who doesn’t, and I don’t think I’m missing out. And I don’t have to get worried about being arrested. There is a big drug culture at my school but I feel good about choosing not to participate. Clearly, it’s your choice, but definitely think hard about it.</li>
<li>Study for tests. Practice for oral exams. Write papers before Sunday night. You will be held to a higher standard.</li>
<li>And finally- try to enjoy it. High school, while hopefully not the best years of my life, has been pretty fun so far. I hope it is for you!</li>
</ol>
<p>@dsi411
how so?</p>
<p>prob would be good idea for people to not join this website because it has become another form of procrastination</p>
<p>i mean sure, the college section is good and all, i guess…</p>
<p>@SwaggyC How would a test-in school be better than a regular one? Uh, I don’t really know how to justify that comment with facts so just ignore that. Okay good night everyone.</p>
<p>@dsi411
"My school is exactly like the high schools you see on TV "</p>
<p>@SwaggyC Oh whoops. To answer that I would say that it just seems like a stereotypical American high school with the cheerleaders and the football (which nobody wants to admit is horrible at my school) and the class president election which is really a popularity contest. I didn’t realize how accurately TV depicts high school until I actually got in it.</p>
<p>@dsi411
hs is fun on TV but trash in rl </p>
<p>@dsi411 I go to a high school with one of the best football teams in the country (we were ranked number one for e a few months as a 3A school, higher than the 6A schools in the south :D), and our cheerleading team just placed 12th at nationals. Stereotypes about high schools ARE generally true. There are cliques, there are jocks, there are nerds, there is bullying, but it’s not like TV in the way that on TV, almost everyone’s actually happy in the end…</p>
<p>@tomwantssnow Except me. But that’s okay. College will be better hopefully. Else I’ll just be miserable for the rest of my life.</p>