The freshman year is often a step up in difficulty academically, and may seem overwhelming. For many bright students, elementary or junior high classes were just not that difficult and it may have been possible to coast on brainpower alone, earning A grades with little effort. In addition, high schools are just plain bigger places, with more people and more choices. Here are some tips to help freshmen survive and thrive the all-important first year of high school.
First of all, realize that you are not alone. Every other freshman has similar anxieties and concerns, even if they pretend otherwise and try not to show it. Every senior was a freshman once, and experienced what you are experiencing now three short years ago. It also helps to remind yourself that your teachers want you to be successful and stand ready to help....you just have to ask them.
Second, accept the fact that high school classes are supposed to be more challenging than the ones you had in junior high. This is particularly true if you are taking honors classes for the first time. You will have to put in more time and effort to achieve those good grades now, and this is the way it's supposed to be. You may be familiar with the athletic adage "No pain, no gain." Although I hope school is not painful for you, there is truth in that saying. If you are an athlete and you want to get stronger, you have to increase the difficulty of your workouts....lift heavier weights or run further. The same is true for academics. If you want to "get smarter" and grow intellectually, you are going to have to increase the difficulty of your academic subjects. Taking challenging classes is like weight training for your brain. 1-2 hours of study time outside of class is not unreasonable for college bound students. If you are spending much more than that on a regular basis, it would be a good idea to talk to your counselor and make sure that your classes are at the right academic level for you, or you may need help in learning how to study more effectively.
Third, get organized. Lack of organization is the downfall of many otherwise intelligent and creative students. You may not be a naturally organized person, but it is a learned skill. You probably couldn't ride a bicycle the first time you tried it, could you? How about hitting a baseball...or playing a musical instrument? With time and effort, you can learn organizational skills, too. Don't know where to start? This site has some simple suggestions you may find helpful. One tip I would add (not mentioned in the link above) is to get contact information from another student in your class. That way, if you forget "what's due when" you can call or text someone for an answer.
Here's my last tip, which doesn't have anything to do with work ethic, organizational ability, or study skills, but it is highly correlated with school success. Find a sport, club, or extracurricular activity that you enjoy, and get involved! Studies show that students who are involved in these kinds of activities make better grades and are happier in high school than students who aren't involved in them. On the other hand, don't try to get involved in everything, which is also a problem for some students. You will have to make choices....choose the ones that are most meaningful to you and that you enjoy the most, and you will have made the right choice.
You can survive....and thrive....during your freshman year of high school. Expect to work hard, but also to enjoy it. Believe it or not, you will be a senior before you know it!
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