Dear Future Freshman,

Being a freshman is far from an easy task. In a brand new school with little preparation, adjusting to a new and grueling schedule, and being teased by upperclassmen are just some of the things that freshmen have to deal with.

But the freshman experience can be made easier. There are certain things you have to do in order to maximize success here at Eaglecrest High School, and that’s especially true for the youngest class in the building. Here are some tips on how to be a good freshman.

Take responsibility

“There are three types of freshman: there’s immature freshmen, mature freshmen and annoying freshmen. Any freshman can be any one of those things or any combination of those three things,” sophomore Adam Dymond said. “You just need to take responsibility, grow up, and mature.”

One reason freshmen are under constant scrutiny from older classmates is that many just haven’t grown up. Granted, this year’s freshman class have had this amplified thanks to the coronavirus taking away normality during very developmental years. But Covid didn’t create the problem, it just made it worse. Every freshman class–before, during, and after the pandemic–has gone through the same to some extent.

Maturing is a vital task for any incoming freshman, but that isn’t a simple task. An easy way to achieve it is to take responsibility for your actions and prevent them from happening in the future. 

Immaturity can manifest in different ways, anywhere from being annoying in class to not taking responsibility with your assignments. One way to take responsibility in an academic sense is to…

Don’t skip

Skipping class is quite the common occurrence in high school, but it comes with consequences, especially for freshmen.

“Later on, when you’re a senior, you’re going to have to redo the class you skipped as a freshman,” freshman Mohamed Sylla said, “and that’s going to ruin your high school experience.”

Redoing classes is far from ideal, which is why it’s important to keep your grades up even as a freshman. And even if you do pass, keep an eye on your letter grade; your freshman GPA (grade point average) has a huge impact on your overall GPA, and if college is on your horizon, poor freshman grades will come back to bite you come admissions time. But have no fear, if you ever need it, there’s an easy option for help.

Don’t be shy

“Teachers are nice, they’ll help you,” freshman Layla Ruiz said. “Just don’t be shy.” It’s easy to overthink and try to avoid asking for help, but overcoming shyness is an easy way to find success, and not just academically.

Meeting new people is essential to the freshman experience; with hundreds of students you’ve never met, freshman year is the perfect time to branch out. It will also help with the final and most important tip for freshmen…

Have fun

It isn’t easy to come into a brand new building with brand new expectations, and it’s very easy to be caught in the stress of high school. But it’s important to remember that the most important key to finding success in 9th grade is simply to find enjoyment in the moment.

“Being a freshman is fun,” freshman Mohamed Sylla said. “You’re kind of careless because you have three years left.”

There are plenty of things to worry about during freshman year, but there are just as many things to be excited about and to have fun with. High school comes with plenty of opportunities to be careless, have fun, and do the most important thing you can do: enjoy the moment.