I went from an all-girls middle school to a college-leveled STEM high school. You could probably guess that I was nervous. I had no idea what I was in for, which is very stressful for someone who likes to plan as far in advance as possible. But I didn’t panic. I did all the research I could and prepared. This is what I did to prepare for my freshman year of high school.

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Preparing For Your Freshman Year

//Go to Orientation

So orientation usually takes place while you’re in eighth grade. There, you will get a packet of information that you need to know. For my orientation, the packet included things like the student handbook, paperwork my parents had to fill out, etc. During orientation, you get to hear students speak. We heard from a sophomore, junior, and senior. They talked about their experience in the high school I went to and all the work we would have to do. It was good to hear from people who had been through this before (Especially in a school like mine). There was also information on what classes we were going to take and the electives there were, but I already knew that stuff. More on that in the next bullet point.

//Research The Classes You Have To Take

I actually researched the classes I would take WAY before I even applied. Like…in seventh grade. Yeah, I was pretty early on that note. Knowing what classes I had to take really put me in the frame of mind I needed to be in. I was mentally prepared to take physics and chemistry at the same time. I knew that I needed two years of foreign language to graduate. I knew that I wanted to take Health/PE in my freshman year to get it out of the way. Knowing what courses you need to take will prepare you A TON.

//Go To Your School’s Freshmen Events

The reason I’m publishing this post today is because my brother Zidan has STEM Camp today. STEM Camp is basically a camp my school does for freshmen the summer before they start high school so that they can get a feel of the school. (Truth be told, they try to get as many people to withdraw as possible so that people on the waiting list have a shot) During STEM Camp, I got really excited about high school. Of course, there was work like engineering projects and math classes, but I got to meet so many new people like me (Nerds). Don’t get me wrong, I was scared as hell. Two weeks before I was at an all-girls school, only to be shut into a classroom with 22 boys and 5 girls (Can someone say gender gap?) I made new friends, I got used to being at a co-ed school, and I got to walk around the school and get my bearings.

//Register For Your Classes

Knowing what classes you are going to take prepares you a lot. You know exactly what to expect, what you need, and what summer work you need to do. And yes. There will be summer work. On that note…

//Finish Your Summer Work

You want to give your teachers a good first impression and not turning in your work is not the greatest way to do that. There might also be a test or quiz on your summer work, so doing it is the best way to prepare.

//Make Friends Before School Starts

This may not be possible for some people, but if you have the opportunity, you should. You don’t need to make your best friends for life immediately, but meeting nice people will get you in a good frame of mind. Join your school’s Facebook group (I didn’t have a Facebook page until I was sixteen, and I have come to the grips with the fact that there are two-year-olds with them, so some of you Freshmen must have one). School Facebook groups are a great resource. People post study guides and information for events. It’s a great way to feel a part of the school. Meeting people will help you get more comfortable with your surroundings.

//Walk Your Schedule

My high school had a day a few days before school started where we would receive our schedules and would be able to walk around. WALK YOUR ENTIRE SCHEDULE. I did this step by step that day, and I didn’t get lost at all. There were so many Freshmen who didn’t know where they were going the first day, but not me. I actually ended up giving directions to other people.

//Get Everything You Need

School supply shopping is one of my FAVORITE things to do! It gets me SO excited for school to start. It also helps me get organized. I go online and read about how my teachers want their binders to be organized. I separate the notebook paper so that each binder has the same amount. Admittedly, I sort of overkill this portion of preparedness, but it’s something I genuinely enjoy. Geting yourself organized and having everything you need will save you a lot of stress on your first day, so make sure you have everything you need to make it an awesome first day.

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I hope this post helped you. If I missed anything, please write in the comments.

 

How did you prepare for your first day of high school? Were you excited or scared to start it?