High School Survival Guide

Starting high school, an exciting and nerve-racking experience can be challenging for many students that want to achieve a productive freshman year. As a freshman attending Sierra Vista High School, I understand that the transition from middle to high school can be challenging.

Incoming freshmen need to prepare themselves ahead of time by building on certain skills and habits. Not only do students need to prepare themselves academically, but students also need to learn how to go out of their comfort zone to build new relationships and experiences. Looking back on freshman year, there are many ways I wish I have done differently going into high school. I gathered some tips for incoming freshmen on selecting courses and extracurricular activities, developing good study habits, and managing their time effectively all while building connections with other students.

1. Selecting courses: Students receive the opportunity to select what classes they attend before starting their first year of high school. Choosing classes that align with the student’s interests allows them to enjoy learning while staying motivated. If students excelled in middle school, they should most definitely consider taking honors classes. Taking an honors class offers students a highly motivated learning environment and can increase student’s GPA.
2. Effectively exploring extracurricular activities: Most high schools provide an orientation that allows students to start exploring the different clubs and sports provided for incoming freshmen. Joining clubs helps students develop leadership skills while meeting new friends with the same interests. Students should also consider joining many different sports provided by the school that can lead to future scholarships.
3. Keep Organized: Throughout the school year, students need to learn how to keep organized. Not only school work but also having an organized space and time. During the summer, students should organize their rooms and develop different ways of organizing their time management skills.
4. Time management skills: To prepare for high school students should develop essential skills like time management. Strategies such as knowing how to spend time effectively, setting priorities, using a planning tool, and managing stress all improve time management.
5. Develop effective study habits: Students should regularly review notes and any material provided by the teacher. If possible, students can set up study groups with their friends to make studying also a time to hang out and encourage each other to succeed. Ronan Jon Tumang, a freshman student attending Sierra Vista High School, states, “By doing my work little by little I was able to ensure that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed while I was studying helped me learn the material more effectively.”

High school remains a time when students gain new experiences and grow as a person. By joining clubs and different after-school activities, students explore what they enjoy doing and even learn valuable skills that will most definitely help along the way. Transitioning from middle school to high school can be challenging, but by practicing these tips and strategies, incoming freshmen can set themselves up for a successful academic year.