Welcome to High School: A Guide for Freshmen

I still remember my first day of High School. New school. New teachers. New faces. The halls were wide, but filled with people shoulder to shoulder. All around me were people I had never seen before. Some of the guys even had full beards. It was exciting, but a little intimidating. I remember thinking, “how am I going to survive this? Will I make it to graduation?” Yet, four years later, on graduation night, I just remember thinking how much I was going to miss what were some of the best four years of my life. 

8th grade was fun. Being the oldest in the school had its perks, but let’s face it, high school sounds cooler. However, there’s a lot of mystery about it until you get there. You might be asking yourself a few questions like what’s going to be different? The same? Will your teachers be tough? Is finding your class and being on time hard? Do you keep your old friends or make new ones? Let’s go through a few common questions I often talk through with someone about to enter high school.

How different will it be from middle school?

In some ways it’s a lot different, but in other ways it feels very similar. You’ll still have classes, connections, lunch, teachers, and friends. But it all may feel like a different vibe. Your grades count toward your total GPA now, so if you’re thinking about college be sure to keep that in mind. The cafeteria feels bigger and more crowded, but chances are you’ll spot a friend or two. Teachers can be cool, but they do expect more from you. I’ve found that when you respect them and give your best effort, they’ll return that same energy. Friday night football games were the highlight of my week. It’s a blast whether you’re playing on the field in front of all your friends and family or in the stands painted up with your friends cheering on the team. They will be memories you’ll never forget. High school is different from middle school, but ultimately in all the best ways. 

Will I make new friends or lose the ones I have?

This is a tough one to answer, because everyone’s experience is different, which is actually the neat thing about high school. Whatever your experience is will be unique to you. You get to write your own story of who you want to be and what you want your next four years to look like. The better question is will you have the opportunity to make new friends? Definitely! There are a lot of new people in high school that you’ll come across, so be open to meeting new people and see how you can connect with them. I lost some old friends over time, but kept some others. And that was okay. In life your social circle can change because you and your friends change. As some friends become distant, new friends come into the picture…it’s sort of a life thing. For me, I made some of my best friends in high school and we still hang out to this day. Be yourself, put yourself out there, and you’ll find your people.

Is there more freedom?

There is a lot more freedom in high school than middle school. However, to quote from Spider-Man, “with great power comes great responsibility.” You will have the freedom to choose a variety of things in high school; where you sit in the cafeteria, who you hang out with, how you talk to your teachers, whether you’re late or skip a class. Just remember that all choices have consequences, both good and bad. You get the freedom to choose who you want to be, so choose wisely. You won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. No one is. But if you want to be a person of good character, a good friend, trustworthy, and hard-working, then chase after that. After all, you get that choice. 

Ultimately, what I learned is that high school is what you make of it. There will be highs and lows, mountain tops and valleys, early mornings and late nights. You only get four years, so make the best of them. Enjoy the freedom of choosing who you want to be and what you want your four years to look like. Just don’t blink, because graduation is just around the corner…

Written by: Dr. Austin Shugart, LPC