Everybody knows that your freshman year is always the one that brings the most anticipation. You lay all your clothes and supplies out the night before. You compare schedules through SnapChat with all of your friends. In the back of your mind, you think it will be the best year because the teachers will treat you more like adults and you feel as if you’re finally becoming a part of the “real world”. While all of that is true in some ways, becoming a freshman also comes with more responsibility. Your first day is most likely acceptable, but gathered below are a few tips to get you through a strenuous year.

Teachers are not going to be lenient about the work that they assign you. If you have a paper due at the end of class, and you decide to goof off with friends the whole period, you’ll be responsible for getting assignments done at home. Depending on the teacher, it is possible that they will remove you from the group, and you will no longer be able to work with that person anymore, and your grade in that class might be at risk. When teachers give you a due date, they expect it the day that it’s due, or they will start to deduct points for every day that it’s late. Always bring a writing utensil to all your classes. A pen is also a good option, but some math teachers would prefer you to use a pencil so you can easily correct any mistakes made.

Your friends you had in middle school most likely won’t be in classes with you this year as your schedules begin to vary, and the school is bigger. You can expect to drift apart from those you thought were your friends. Try to stay away from any sort of drama, after all, once you graduate you likely won’t even see or hear from the people that caused the drama anymore. Don’t stand around talking to your friends in the hallway. That will cause you to be late, and that will result in teachers giving you tardies which becomes detention. You get one free tardy, and after that, it all depends on the teacher. Standing in the middle of the hallway also makes it much more difficult for other students to get to where they need to be.

A few necessities to pack before arriving are headphones and a charger. There are teachers that will allow you to charge your phone in class, and it’s a bummer when your battery is running low. You want to remember to bring headphones because some teachers allow you to listen to music while you’re doing independent work, and it’s always nice to listen to music throughout the day. Remember to bring a water bottle. Dehydration can lead to headaches and cause you to focus less in class.

 Remember not to blow off your freshman year.  Your actions now will reflect on you while applying to colleges, jobs, and even internships. Just remember to try your hardest in all of your classes. Teachers remember who tried in their class, and who didn’t. Stay out of trouble, do all your work, and mind your business,  and high school should be a breeze!