#freshmen advice

[thought-it-through]

Even if you’ve dated before, do not start dating someone above your year until at least a semester has passed. The power dynamic is way off and you want to make your own friends, not just get absorbed into your SO’s life.

[kiarasdeclassified]

some REAL high school freshman advice

so, you’re finally finished with eighth grade & moving onto the next phase of your life: high school! that should be exciting, right? it’s around the time where everyone is starting to get their schedule, pick out classes, shop for new supplies & outfits… & maybe even check out some advice posts so you know what you’re getting yourself into. however, all of these posts seem to say the same thing: “join a club!” “study hard!” “go to football games!” “take an honors class!” “make some friends!” in all honesty, yes, these are great tips, but they’ve been tired out so much over the years of freshman advice posts that have been created & most importantly, don’t exclusively apply to freshmen either. so, to keep you from branding this as just another basic twitter thread on how drinking water will help you get good grades all year, i’ve compiled a list of things you probably haven’t already been told about your freshman year that will definitely be helpful.

it’s not as hard as your teachers might make it out to be.

i find that the idea of high school being absolutely impossible is mostly proposed by english teachers, so here’s an example: all throughout eighth grade, my english teacher gave my class mountains of homework, at least 2 essays every other month, and ridiculously hard tests over strange words derived from Latin. she told us constantly: “i know the work i’m giving you is challenging, but i’m preparing you for high school.” my freshman year, i had no more than three simple assignments to do per night (& even that’s a stretch), i wrote 8 essays the entire year, and my tests were pretty time consuming but they were not at all difficult. i got solid A’s in every class with some effort, but not nearly with the amount of effort my eighth grade teachers attempted to drill into me. especially if you go to public school, your high school is probably going to be a little more relaxed than your middle school is. they won’t freak out on you if you forget to turn something in. you’ll probably be allowed to take out your phone in one or two classes. you’ll most likely be able to chew gum. of course, you’re taking harder classes, so the coursework is going to be more advanced, but your teachers know that. no one expects you to be perfect, especially as a wee little freshman in a sea full of kids who have done this for at least a year or more.

that being said, you still have to put in work.

just because it isn’t going to be THAT tough doesn’t mean it’s going to be a piece of cake. you still need to develop decent study habits, even if your study “habit” is just you looking at a study guide or watching a crash course video or reviewing a quizlet the night before a test. you especially need to do this if you’re taking advanced classes; the most common classes for freshmen on the advanced track to take (depending on your school, this is just what i see the most often) are geometry and biology. both of these classes are heavily theory-based & require at least SOME studying for success, especially biology. if you aren’t taking an advanced class however, you might view this as less reason to try; but, it’s the opposite. since your coursework isn’t so fast-paced, you can focus more on the details of your unit/chapter/lesson/etc. so you can REALLY be sure to ace your tests & nail your classwork. freshman year is the easiest of all your high school years, so even if you aren’t taking advanced classes, you need to try, even if it’s just a little. you won’t regret it.

don’t take an advanced class if you know you can’t handle it.

an unwritten rule of thumb with most high school classes is that you can fail every test, but as long as you complete & turn in all of your classwork & homework, you will pass the class; while keeping that in mind, it’s important to note that advanced classes usually come with summer homework, group seminars, bigger projects, accelerated coursework, & a heavier load on your academic life in general. if you have little to no work ethic, advanced classes are not for you. if you know you’re going to be too lazy to even start any summer work & you won’t turn in any homework during the year, don’t even think about taking the class. but if you can’t even trust yourself to fulfill the latter part of that statement, don’t do it. if you’ve already signed up for it, drop out of it. if you can’t drop the class, good luck buttercup.

get a job if you can.

you’re getting older, you probably don’t want to have to ask your parent or guardian for money all the time, you’ll want to go out & buy things & do fun things with your friends, or if you’re more introverted, maybe even stay at home & spend your money on something nice you saw online. many places understand that you’re a teenager that has just ventured out into high school & began working, so they can be flexible with schedules & hours. this isn’t the post for me to spew out job info, but you can start your job search by googling “[desired workplace (mcdonald’s, walmart, etc.)] careers” & checking their application for an age limit. if there’s one clearly listed & you’re too young, don’t apply; however, if you’re old enough or if there isn’t one, then go ahead & apply! apply to multiple places at once so you have a better chance of landing one, then call back after around 2-3 days & let them know you’re checking on an application. if you don’t want to call, be ready to wait; i avoided doing this & didn’t hear back from what was eventually my first job for 4 months. regardless, having your own money that you know you earned yourself is an amazing feeling, & treating yourself with it is an even better one.

if you want to go to college, start planning.

if you’re an overachiever like i was back when i was a little freshie, then you’ve probably already started doing this; however, if you don’t care to start looking in depth at colleges, you should at least decide what you want to do after high school. take a career cluster inventory test to figure out what you’d enjoy most as a career & use this to decide between 2-3 potential majors/minors; then, complete the texas reality check to see what careers fit your ideal lifestyle. while these aren’t concrete plans at all, it’s good to at least have an idea of what you’d like to do, so you can eventually use this to decide on something later on. even with this in mind, it’s okay if you don’t even know what you want to do yet & no tests you’ve taken have helped you. at the end of eighth grade, i wanted to go into music; at the end of freshman year, i wanted to go into marketing; at the end of sophomore year, i wanted to double major in chemistry & entrepreneurship. it’s fine to be all over the place interest-wise, & it’s fine to have no clue what you enjoy interest-wise. you have a whole four years to make solid plans, so don’t stress it.

college isn’t your only option.

even though this is probably what your teachers, peers, or maybe even family has drilled into your head for a little while, you have so many other options besides college. you can go into the military if you’d like, even if you’re not interested in combat (there’s other positions too, you know); you can go to technical school for something like cosmetology, mechanics, welding, esthetics, etc.; you could go straight into the workforce or start a business if your interests point you into that direction; you could even do something as simple as an apprenticeship for specific jobs. if college was truly the only postsecondary choice, it would be so much harder to get into the schools you wanted to go to, since almost another 1.1 MILLION students in the United States alone would be applying as well. it’s an unrealistic expectation for everyone to go to college, so you’re not “lazy” or a “bum” because you don’t want to.

most importantly, HAVE (safe & solicited) FUN.

you’re in high school! soon enough, you’ll be driving, making your own plans, talking to your friends 24/7 (even if it’s just on tumblr!), & becoming more independent in general. these are the last four years of your life where you can act like a complete fool outside of school before you become an adult. have fun. bend the rules a little--if you want. whatever you do, don’t give into peer pressure. trust me, NO ONE cares if you don’t want to drink or vape or smoke or have sex, as long as you don’t act like you’re above anyone because you choose not to. never let anyone make you do something you don’t want to do. learn how to say no if you feel uncomfortable with something. if you’re into going out, i don’t recommend doing anything illegal, but if you’re going to, always have a trusted friend in a clear state of mind around who can help you stay safe & protected from harm’s way until you’re at home in your bed (or somewhere else where you feel secure) for the night.

popularity means absolutely nothing.

always have one close friend or a tight-knit circle of friends that you can trust & who you know won’t spread your business around. if something happens & you need someone to fall back on, it’s always better to have 1 real friend you can tell anything to than 10 fake friends who you’re iffy about trust-wise. i get it; almost everybody has wanted to be part of the “in” crowd & has wanted to hang out with them; talk to them; dress like them; be friends with them. eventually, you’ll realize none of that matters. it didn’t click for me until the last 4-5 months of sophomore year. there is no difference between you & rebecca over there with her 2000 instagram followers. she’s [hopefully] being herself, & you should be too. you’ll find your proper crowd, even if it isn’t until the end of high school.

i cannot stress this enough, BE YOURSELF.

who cares if everyone thinks math club is lame? what if your future best friend is in there? wanna go for the volleyball team but you don’t want to seem basic? so what? you’re interested in running for student government but you’re afraid no one will vote for you? you’ll never know if you don’t try! go ahead & wear whatever you want, hang out with whoever you want, listen to whatever music you want, & join whatever clubs you want. fix up the black belt you got from the men’s section at the thrift store slip on your checkered vans. go buy some cute stickers for your hydroflask while blasting billie eilish & ariana grande. finish that painting or developing those cool pictures you took last weekend. DO YOU. don’t stress this whole high school thing; you’ve got this. :)

[accepteddolphin]

When the only thing you know you want to take in high school is fashion but that wont get you hired (please send help)

[theartofstudy]

Hi Loves!

As the fall quarter draws near, I can’t help but think back to this same time last year. September 017 was the month that I flew across an ocean and started my freshmen year at SCAD. Throughout the thirty weeks that followed I learned more than I have ever before and was able to create a real home in Savannah. Nonetheless, there were a few things that I would’ve definitely benefited from knowning about before stepping into orientation. And since some of you guys are getting ready to go off to college soon, I thought I’d share what I wished someone had told me before I started my freshmen year!

You can’t do everything.

Entering SCAD, I was surprised by just the amount of things that were happening. Employer visits, workshops, artist talks, ResLife events... it seemed like there was always ten different activities happening at the same time. In the beginning, seeing all of these as great opportunities, I was determined to participate in everything. However I soon became so overwhelmed about having to plan down to the minute and somehow manage to be in five places at once, that I’d often just decide to stay in my dorm instead. It’s important to remember that even though they may all seem like great opportunities, there’s just no possible way to participate in everything. Which is why I recommend choosing a few exciting activities that you can attend without stressing yourself out.

If your mental, physical and emotional health are not up to par, your academics will suffer.

Last year I got sick quite a lot, especially during finals week. I was so stressed out by the amount of work that I had to do that I didn’t take the time to properly heal which meant that instead of getting better I just keep getting sick again. Looking back I realize now that I probably would have gotten higher grades on the assignments if I would’ve taken care of my physical well being first instead of slaving away on projects. Doing a project when you’re not well not only takes double as long but the quality of work is always going to be lower. And this doesn’t just apply to physical well-being, if you’re mentally feeling down your academics can suffer too. At SCAD we have a lot of great resources, such as RAs and other counseling services that can help you through some of the things that you may be dealing with. Just talking to someone about what you’re going through can also make you feel 100 times lighter.

Your extra curricular activities understand your academics

In high school I was very into extra curricular activities, so naturally entering college I signed my name on every roster. Something that I quickly realized though is that extra curricular activities in high school and extra curricular activities in college differ in quite a few ways. In high school I was accustomed to being shunned for missing a single club meeting, however in college, because a lot of the leaders are students themselves, they understand how time consuming and stressful classes can become. Which is why if it gets to the point where you need a break, it’s okay to take one. Trust me, no ones going to hate you or be disappointed if you miss a club meeting every now and again.

Get the contact information of at least one person from all of your classes

I cannot stress how important this is. There will come a time, trust me, where you’re confused about an assignment, can’t find your project sheet or won’t remember if you have to bring this specific thing to class. Which is why even if you’re not best friends with your peers it’s important to have some kind of communication with a few just in case you need to ask a quick question. Most colleges also have an online roster where they post all the names as well as the student emails, so if the situation becomes dire that’s also a go to.

Sit in the front. Just do it.

Most profs teach from the front of the classroom and having a seat closer to the profs not only allows you to engage more in the lesson but also if you have glasses/contacts you wont have to worry about forgetting them, since you’re close enough to the board to make it out. Additionally, if you ever get stuck with a prof who talks quietly having a front seat can save you from missing half the lesson just because you can’t hear what’s being said.

YOU’RE GOING TO BE JUST FINE

One of the most important things that a professor has ever told me is that I “was going to be just fine.” Sometimes the things that we face in college can become so overwhelming that everything feels hopeless. It’s at these moments that it’s the most important to remind yourself that no matter what you’re going through, it’s a temporary problem not a permanent situation. So keep smiling darling, everything will work out in the end.

There you go! Thank you for reading and I hope that some of you found this somewhat helpful. If you have any specific questions regarding college etc. don’t hesitate to ask! Wishing you all the best in whatever you’re pursuing and have a wonderful day! 💗

[peterpa1ker]

Freshmen Advice

work as hard as you can but also take mental breaks when needed. Your grades in high school are important if you’re going to college!

join activities. I regret not joining anything in High School

go to school sporting events

go to homecoming and other events of the sort

cheer at pep rally’s. It isn’t cool to not cheer

you won’t keep all the same friends you had in middle school.

- also you’ll gain friends that you never thought you would have

- take a foreign language class! It looks good when applying to college/jobs and if you study a certain thing (like in the department of science) knowing a little bit of a language will give you a head start

- start applying for scholarships. Some of them let you apply as young as 13!!- read and write down as much as possible

- start studying for your ACT now! The scores do matter! I wish somebody told me start studying my freshmen year rather then waiting a month until my date my junior year

- electives are important! Take ones that might help with your future career

- start looking at colleges and requesting information

- respect the upperclassmen, but also know to not let them treat you like crap

- no matter what movies tell you, popularity is NOTHING in HS as it was in MS. Literally everybody talks to each other and helps each other

- please don’t stand in the middle of the hallway

- also please don’t block people’s lockers- respect the dress code. You’re tired of getting yelled at and teachers are tired of yelling at you. Sometimes it does go too far but MOST of the time it is preparing you for a job where you need to dress appropriately.

- look good for your yearbook photos. You’ll regret it (aka me wearing a MCR shirt my sophomore year)

- look over your schedule a lot so by the first day of school you know exactly where your classes are and when you have each class

- don’t show up late. It’s annoying to the teacher and to the rest of the class if you disrupt the class without a note

- don’t buy too many school supplies or your locker will get bombarded

- get enough sleep. It isn’t healthy to go to school on hardly any sleep and it’s harder to learn

- one test grade doesn’t determine your future but don’t make it a habit

- yes it’s great to join stuff but don’t join too much! Remember if you don’t make time for studying you will not be able to play your sport if you’re failing!!!

- don’t walk slow but also don’t run in the hallways!

- ask questions if you don’t understand something

- email teachers when you need help outside of class! That’s what they are there for!!

- if your teacher didn’t sign you up for an AP course you can still take it! Most schools will let you take it if your parents approve but remember, if you fail that is on you, not the teacher

- develop a good relationship with all your teachers! Don’t treat them like crap because you’ll be coming to them for job, scholarship, or college recommendation letters!

- don’t take blow off classes. If they aren’t what you’re interested in or if it won’t help you in the long run, why take it?

- always have paper and a pencil/pen. It isn’t the teachers job or another students job to provide you with that. Forgetting it or running out does happen, but don’t make it a habit

- don’t be shy if you need a tutor. Most teachers are glad to give up lunch or help you during a planning period. Some may even come in early or stay late to help you

- keep a snack on you. Most teachers will let you eat/drink in class if you don’t make a mess and don’t distract others

- enjoy high school because it’ll be over in a blink of an eye and all of a sudden you’ll be in your gap and gown, staring at your friends wondering where all the time has gone

- make sure to have at least one study hall!

- don’t try to fit in with everyone. It’ll just make you look desperate for attention. Just be yourself

- we all joke about waiting to the last minute to do things but a lot of us work best that way and will put in our best work. If you’re not putting your best work in that way then do not do that.

- say no. You’re not forced to do anything you don’t want to * does not apply to that assignment you don’t want to do, you have to do that

- don’t sacrifice your grades for a social life. Your friends in HS won’t always be around but your grades will be what will help you in the future

- that senior does not love you. Honestly if they’re talking to you, run. It’s disgusting. You’re what 14/15? They’re 17/18/19. That isn’t healthy or cute and they just want you for sex. Age does matter but once you’re older, (20) it doesn’t matter

- please shower. And wear deodorant. It’s gross and during the summer it is even worse- don’t stress. It isn’t scary at all.

- don’t let anybody force you to have sex, drink, smoke. Whatever it is. No means no- if you run out of a pad/tampon ask a girl, any girl. They’ll help you out or just go to the nurse. They’ll have some

- don’t worry about not being asked to dances, go with friends. I had a date to my junior prom and that was it. It’s sad st first but once you get there it’s great to just be going with friends

- remember you don’t need an expensive dress for homecoming/prom. If you can’t afford an expensive one, don’t worry. Get what you or your parents can afford- do spirit week. It isn’t cool to not do it

- sparknotes, quizlet, and kahoot will get you through these four years

- READ THE FUCKING BOOK. It isn’t cute to look stupid and not know what’s going on and if you don’t understand it, ask for help

- have a buddy to copy notes from if you’re sick or missing class and repay them with the same

- don’t use Wikipedia for a research paper

- use .gov and .edu for your research and make sure you look at the dates because it could be wrong and could have updated info!!

- if you’re aloud to pick the topic of your essay, pick something you’re passionate about

[lettersfromhav]

college advice from someone who’s been on both sides of it

So I'm finishing up my Ph.D. and preparing to depart for the real world (no, just kidding, I'm going to be in school forever, only in a different capacity) and I thought I'd put together a list of some college tips to share with you all. I graduated with my B.A. in 2012, magna cum laude, with 2 majors, 1 honours thesis, 2 on-campus jobs, and 3 music things. Since then, I've gone to grad school and also taught six semesters of first-year seminars. Now I'm going on the job market for teaching positions. All of this means that I've seen both sides of the college experience, as a student and as an instructor. There are a lot of great & useful college advice posts going around studyblr this time of here, and I wanted to add my own. I hope it’s useful. So here we go, with a “read more” because it’s long (sorry if you’re on mobile):

academics

find your classrooms ahead of time (profs' offices too)

figure out how long it will take you to walk between places

figure out where your best seat will be & claim it

say hi to the people next to you, learn their names

take notes in class

take advantage of extra credit

try your best not to fall asleep in class (and if you do fall asleep, apologise to the prof afterwards)

bring your glasses if you need them, don't be stubborn about it

check out the library, wander in the stacks, talk to the librarians

figure out how & where to print

buy used books/textbooks, or rent them, but be careful with ebooks (some profs don't allow them)

plan breaks into your class schedule, or block everything together, whichever works best for you

work out the pros & cons of 8am classes and/or night classes

plan ahead – have a planner, put things in it, do them

fake deadlines are a thing (write down earlier deadlines, trick yourself into meeting them, bask in satisfaction)

grades won’t be what they were in high school

keep in mind GPA values: a 3.5 will see you graduating with honours

be nice to the departmental administrative staff, thank them for helping you (even with small things)

office hours versus emailing profs: both will get your questions answered (probably) but if you can go and talk in person, do it

profs & TAs are people too, they have lives, they have bad days

if something comes up, talk to your prof, be honest but don't overshare, just show them you're trying

on that note, try

ask friends and especially older students for opinions about profs when you're deciding on your classes, but also check things out yourself  

if your profs invite you to dinner/coffee/events, show up

unless the prof is not a good person, in which case AVOID and spread the word to your friends

if your friends spread this word to you, believe them

if you end up with a prof that your intuition tells you “no” about, trust that intuition

switch classes, talk to the dept. head, talk to the dean, do whatever you need to do

also document everything (save emails, screenshot things, write it down)

also “confidentiality” might be a lie, even if they tell you that your report is confidential (at my undergrad, only the counseling center & chaplain's offices were truly confidential, and even then only if there was no immediate threat)

the above isn't meant to scare you, just make you aware – statistically, you'll probably meet some people you'll wish you hadn't met, so take care of yourself and know your options

you might change your major a few times and that's ok

if it takes you more than 4 years to graduate, that's ok too

it's not the end of the world if you get a bad grade

it's not the end of the world if you need tutoring

tutoring is awesome & you should take advantage of it, especially if it's free -- campus writing centers are great too

it's not even the end of the world if you have to withdraw from a class, or take a leave of absence

keep at it & you will be fine

food

remember to eat

be nice to the dining hall staff (and all campus staff, especially maintenance/facilities, they are the ones who can help you out)

figure out how to discreetly take food from the dining hall (dry cereal, fruit, a sandwich, not entire pantries please)

keep snacks in your room (and don't eat them all at once)

fruits & vegetables are your friends

you all know this already but stay hydrated

take advantage of free food events on campus (my undergrad had a twitter dedicated to this)

sometimes religious organisations will host them – you can go even if you're not religious, just be polite

find a coffeeshop & be nice to the baristas, tip if you can

but also take it easy on the coffee consumption, you only have one heart

you still have to eat even if you get sick – at least what one of my family members calls the “BRAT diet” (bread, rice, applesauce, tea) until you feel better

if you have allergies, talk to the dining hall staff and explain your situation, ask them for advice & they should be able to help you out

if you feel pressured to diet or lose weight, 1) leave those people, and 2) eat what's right for your body

housing

make a roommate contract (rules for lights on/off, quiet hours, temperature control, guests, cleaning, locked doors, etc.)

don't lose your keys, but also don't wear a lanyard (carabiner inside a backpack pocket is a good plan)

unless lanyards are your thing, in which case, go for it

don't overspend on décor/bedding, go basic & minimal (rooms are small)

figure out how much sleep you need & get it, and try to stick to a routine

bring a padlock or two and some cable, use if it you feel you need to – also, laptop locks are under-rated, get one

bring a mirror, a lamp, and possibly a comfortable desk chair

extension cords with surge protectors are the way to go

if you want to bring a stuffed animal or something just bring it, don't worry about it not being “cool”

bring clothing that makes you feel like yourself when you wear it

get a plant or two and try not to kill it

open floor space creates the illusion of a bigger room

find out how to take out your trash & then actually do it

keep a few basic cleaning supplies in your room (Clorox or Lysol wipes will take care of almost anything in a dorm room, plus maybe a vacuum)

if you have white towels and white sheets, you can wash them together & add a little bleach, they will always look clean

lofted beds look nice but are a pain to change sheets on, just fyi

invest in a mattress topper (I say “invest”; mine was foam and like $20, no need to get super fancy)

if your mattress really is crap, talk to facilities about your options

invest in good headphones (this may actually be an investment)

bring a few favourite non-academic books to keep in your room for when you need a break from school reading

co-ed bathrooms might be a thing, it will be fine

if it's not fine, report it (RA, residence life, campus security) – be safe, kids

shower sandals are your friend – you might also want regular slippers

don't sexile your roommate – that's just rude, it's their room too, they're paying for housing just like you

if you are the one sexiled, have a conversation about it (after the fact, when everyone is clothed again) and lay out the rules

get your RA involved if need be, you have a right to your own room

don't hole up in your room all the time, but also don't be afraid to retreat back to it when you need to

if you have an apartment: 

know what the deal is on how/when to pay rent, utilities, etc.; take photos for your security deposit; say hi to your neighbours even if you're not friends; have a basic toolkit; write down the non-emergency numbers for local police & fire and post them on your fridge; learn the system for taking out trash (dumpster, trash tags, etc.); make sure you know parking rules if you have a car; check your mail every day so it doesn't pile up; clean regularly

you will not survive college without a good living situation, so do whatever you need to do to make that happen

life

don't be afraid to do things alone

don't be afraid to fake-date your friends in order to get free stuff (for example, my undergrad had some free “couples” events on Valentine’s Day that a friend & I took advantage of a few times)

keep an eye out for dogs on campus & pet them (unless they're service dogs and hard at work, in which case admire from afar)

get a backpack that's comfortable to wear & can hold what you need

send postcards to your friends at other colleges (getting mail is surprisingly nice)

learn how to do laundry before you go to college

find the gym & use it (if it's free)

find the campus health clinic & use it (especially if it's free or low-cost)

don't leave your things unattended in the library even if it seems safe

learn how to use your local public transportation, if it exists

explore your town/city, bring friends along

bring a bicycle if you can and if your campus isn't entirely hills

if you have a car: wash it from time to time, keep the gas tank at least half full, get a snow shovel and keep it in your trunk (climate depending)

have at least one warm jacket, and one rain jacket (climate depending)

have good shoes, possibly boots – you'll likely be walking a lot

take early morning walks with friends (but be safe about it) and then go to breakfast together

find a playground & use it

go into campus buildings that you otherwise wouldn’t and explore – find new study spaces, cool art, comfortable chairs, who knows what

check out campus museums

join clubs you will actually enjoy, or that have people you want to spend time with

you can quit clubs at any time

you can change your mind any time – show up to an event, don't like it, leave, it's fine

you can also make up things if you need an excuse to leave -- no one will know, you are the master of your own schedule in college

there's something weirdly wonderful about showering at 5pm with the windows open, just saying

if you're queer and want to come out, come out; if not, no pressure

if you do, be careful about who you come out to, and what gets spread on social media -- look out for yourself

also your campus almost certainly has an lgbtq resource center so maybe use it (mine was a subset of the women's center)

if you came out using a term that then stops working for you, you're allowed to change your terms

don't drink too much, look out for your friends, tip $1 per drink, figure out which bar is least sketchy (also most sketchy – and then avoid that one)

the least sketchy bar is possibly going to be the place your profs hang out -- do the casual nod/wave to say hi if you see them, don’t just ignore them, but then get back to your friends

be super careful of what/how much you drink at house parties since you probably don’t know what you’re actually drinking

don't give in to pressure to be sexually active if it's not your thing

if it is your thing, still don't give into pressure, and also use protection every single time

enthusiastic consent is a thing, check in with your partner, make sure you're both good

get to know people in years both above and below yours

save people's numbers, names, birthdays in your phone

take photos with your friends & save them too

listen to your college’s radio station (maybe even DJ for them)

call your parents or family of choice from time to time, or at least text them

watch whatever will fit your mood and don't worry about what anyone thinks: childhood movies, HGTV, YouTube, whatever

in general don't worry so much about what people think, everyone is mostly a mess anyway

so try to be patient with people, and with yourself

survival kit: full water bottle (maybe one with a filter if your tap water is bad), gum or mints, lip balm, a pen, ibuprofen/advil, some cash

do what you want to do, within reason – you're an adult now and can make your own choices, so make good choices and be the person you want to be

[annikki-studies]

Advice for High School Freshmen

Hello! I finished up my freshmen year and I’m now moving onto being a sophomore. I thought I’d write you some tips based on my experiences since school is already close for some people. 

First Day Advice:

First and foremost, relax! The first week is bound to be hectic but after that, everything goes relatively smoothly. Honestly, when I went to go to class on the first day, I ended up walking into three different classrooms before finding the right one. I had no idea where I was going and if I made one slight change in my commuting from class to class, I would be completely lost. But of course everyone else was doing the same thing-panicking and getting lost. 

Don’t panic if you don’t know where your classes are going to be! I’m not sure about other schools but at mine, in middle school you would tour the high school three times. Still after those three times, I could barely remember where the stairs were. I promise that after the first day, things can only improve from there. By a week later, I knew where all the important classes and some extra rooms were. 

Seniors may be dicks to you. At my school, this ‘treat freshmen horribly’ trend only lasted the first day. After that, as long as you don’t threaten to punch someone in the face, you’ll be fine. 

Different rules- most of which aren’t even followed. Middle school is by far the strictest when it comes to rules. By high school, most of the rules disappear. For example, you have to have a clear water bottle because you can only have water. You know those clear sparkling flavored waters? Those aren’t allowed. Supposedly, you can only have water in my high school, but 75% of the girls bring in Dukin coffees every day. Nobody really says anything unless you have a strict teacher. 

Academic Advice:

For the love of god, do your homework! It affects your grade a lot if you miss a bunch of assignments and get zeros. At the same time, if you miss only a handful of them for the whole semester, don’t stress cause it won’t ruin your grade. 

Do well on tests and all that jazz. Same as before: don’t bomb multiple tests and quizzes and expect a good grade. But if you get a few tests back that weren’t up to your standard, don’t worry. Also if your teacher allows it, retake it or do corrections. 

Balance your studying time. Again, you’ll have to try and find a happy medium. It’s good to over study rather than under study, but it can wear on you quickly. Don’t stay up studying ‘till midnight for three nights straight because you’ll feel awful in the morning. And make sure you study the correct information because all that time would be wasted if you take the test only to realize that it’s on nothing you prepared for. 

Self Care:

Sleep is so important. I’ve never been one to follow a strict sleep schedule and I would pay for that on some days. I’d recommend 7-8 hours each night but if you can get 9+ that’s even better. Only get less than 6 hours if absolutely necessary. 

Take a day out of your week to fully relax. Do whatever relaxes you. Take a long, hot shower or soak in the bath with candles and a bath bomb. Cook dinner for your family or bake a mug cake. Draw pretty pictures or doodle in your bullet journal. Sleep a little longer than normal or take a quick nap. Have your ‘me day’ be as important as acing that test. 

Have a daily routine to wash your face, whether it be in the morning to wake you up or in the evening to feel refreshed. You don’t even need a face wash, although I’d recommend one. Try and wash your face every day or every other day. Trust me, it feels nice. 

Friends, Family & Relationships:

Let’s be real, you're probably going to lose a few friends. Drama is sprinkled everywhere in freshmen year. Between grades, relationships, family troubles and a bunch of other short-term problems, losing friends is something that’s likely to happen. Now don’t freak out, it's not like your friends are going to leave you and drop like flies. Who knows, you may not lose any. The first year of high school is also a good chance to see who your friends really are. 

But at the same time, you’ll make a bunch of friends. Seriously. I’m quite the introvert and haven’t made any new friends in years but I think I made around five friends freshman year.

Don’t be afraid of older kids. For my computer class, I was the only 9th grader. There was only two 10th grader, one 11th grader and the rest of them were 12th graders. Honestly that was one of my favorite classes. I obviously didn’t belong in this group of mostly rowdy senior guys but they were all so nice to me. I later learned that that computer class was stupidly easy and was basically a study period where you got college credit for doing nothing.  

Relationships- tread carefully. I’ve been told multiple times not to date in high school but I still disagree. Be cautious of who you date. Seniors are a big no no. See, I liked a senior and he liked me back, but we both knew we shouldn’t date (he was 18, I was 15) and he was leaving for college soon. We didn’t date, but being friends was good enough. Also, judge their personalities. Falling for someone who is a bad person or is manipulating is going to make life so much harder for you. 

Random Advice:

Bring a water bottle every day to class

Have an emergency bag with a snack inside :)

Eat a little in between classes if you can 

Make your lunch light because you may not have a lot of time to eat

Have a planner!! 

Sit in the front or the middle of the classroom 

Make sure you always have a few pens/pencils with you

Try and have at least one friend in every class

Explore clubs and other extracurricular activities 

Participate if you feel comfortable doing so 

Learn to get over grudges and beef with others

You may miss your old middle school life, but learn that you have to move on 

Remember headphones for when the nice teachers let you use them

^ Bring an extra pair for your friends who don’t have any of their own

If you're gonna screw up, then screw up now while you still have time

And finally, just relax and have fun

[alcmenne]

Guys, I’m starting University in six weeks. Hit me with your best advice.