How to Survive Your Freshman Year in High School

Co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and Eric McClure

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Approved

The transition from middle school to high school can be exciting, but the change can be scary for a lot of people. Remember, every other person out here has gone through the same thing that you’re going to experience, and you will survive. In fact, you’ll flourish! There’s a lot to look forward to in high school. You have more freedom, you may find your first boyfriend or girlfriend, and you’ll make friends who will stick with you for life. Try to look at the bright side and don’t worry.

Here are 12 tips for surviving (and thriving) during your freshman year of high school.

1

Be friendly, introduce yourself, and smile.

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Start out on the right foot with your classmates and teachers. Go out of your way to show your fellow students as much kindness as you can extend. Listen carefully in class and do your best not to speak out of turn. If you make a mistake, own it and try to do better in the future. Starting out strong will help you develop a reputation as a respectful, honest, and friendly person. This will make high school much more enriching experience, especially early on. ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor

Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- If you see other kids bullying someone right out of the gate, stand up for them. Kindness always beats out nastiness in the long run, and you’re going to be much more popular in the long run if you’re nice.
- You don’t need to go above and beyond to make a good impression with teachers. Just listen, raise your hand, do your work, and stay engaged. They’ll see your hard work.

2

Stay organized.

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Your organizational skills are especially important in high school. Get a weekly planner and update it every day. Whenever a teacher assigns homework, write it down immediately. Jot down test dates, and take notes to remind yourself when you have big assignments coming up. Use a dedicated folder for each class, and don’t let your backpack fill up with old papers you no longer need. ^{[2]
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- Make a cheat sheet of your schedule. Jot down the class, teacher’s name, and room number alongside the time your class starts in your planner.
- A weekly backpack check may help you stay on top of things. Every week, go through your folders and throw out anything you no longer need.
- Keep some extra pens, pencils, erasers, and highlighters in a dedicated pocket in your backpack.

3

Pay attention during orientation.

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Orientation may seem boring, but you’ll get good info there. Basically every high school will have an orientation session for incoming students. Your teachers and principal will explain the rules, give you your schedule, assign you a locker, and welcome you to the school. It may seem kind of dull, but there’s a lot of crucial information to gleam from orientation, so listen up! ^{[3]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor

Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- If your school doesn’t have orientation, you’ll get all of this info from a teacher (usually in homeroom). Don’t worry, your school isn’t going to throw you into a chaotic first day without explaining where everything is!
- Your homeroom teacher is a resource. Start out on a positive foot by introducing yourself. If you need help during the first week of school, they’re a great person to ask.

4

Develop good relationships with your teachers.

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Getting on your teachers’ good sides will make life a lot easier. Complete every assignment you’re given and ask questions. Participate in discussions and volunteer to help teachers out when they ask for assistance. If your teachers like you, they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt if you’re ever sitting at 89% and you need a 90% for that A, and they’ll cut you a break if you ever need one. ^{[4]
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- If you have a teacher you don’t like, remember that it’s just one class a day for one year. Make a genuine effort to participate, focus, and complete your work. Don’t argue or act out just because you aren’t a fan of the teacher.
- Remember, teachers talk to one another. If you act out in one class, the other teachers will hear about it.

5

Make friends with a bunch of different people.

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Move out of your comfort zone and be a friend to everyone. If you latch on to one group of friends you’re comfortable around and you never branch out, you may be missing out. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have a best friend or anything, but it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind. Be kind to other students, ask them questions about themselves, and compliment people to make them feel good.
- If you ever struggle to find friends, seek out other students with similar interests. If you and another student both love video games or basketball, it’ll give you something to talk about.

6

Find extracurricular activities you enjoy.

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Sports and clubs make high school a lot more enjoyable. If you love volleyball, ask your physical education teacher when tryouts are. If you enjoy movies, see if there’s a film club at school. Most high schools have dozens upon dozens of extracurricular activities, and it’s a great way to get engaged at school, relieve stress, and meet other students. ^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor

Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- This is also one of the best ways to make friends during your freshman year. It can be scary to just go talk to other students out of nowhere, but if you’re both showing up for something you enjoy, it’ll be a lot easier.
- Don’t act like you’re too cool for school events. Other students may do this because they’re scared to put themselves out there, but it’s really just a defense mechanism. There’s nothing wrong with participating in things you enjoy.

7

Show up on time.

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Showing up late to class is a silly reason to get in trouble. High school students typically transition to class on their own. If you weren’t doing this in 8th grade, you may be overwhelmed at first. When class gets out, go to your locker, grab your things, and head to class. If your next class is on the opposite side of school, move quickly. If your class is nearby, feel free to chat with your friends in the hall for a minute. Just make sure that you’re always on time. ^{[6]
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- Write your locker combination down somewhere. It’s never fun to show up 10 minutes late for class because you couldn’t get your locker open.
- Wear a watch if your school doesn’t have clocks in the hallway. Showing up late to class is a silly reason to miss material or get in trouble.
- Most schools will have some kind of “warning” bell to let you know class starts in 60 seconds or something like that.
- Figure out your routes early. If you show up late during the first week of class, apologize profusely and figure out where you went wrong navigating the halls.

8

Be kind to your body.

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Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and eat a healthy diet. High school often means more freedom. Don’t use that freedom to stay up super late and eat junk food all the time. Get plenty of rest so that you wake up feeling good the next day. Try to eat a healthy diet full of plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It sounds cliché, and you’ve probably heard it before, but taking care of yourself makes a major difference when it comes to getting through freshman year. ^{[7]
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- The same is true for mental and emotional health. Take time to relax if you’re ever feeling stressed out. Do things you enjoy in your spare time. If you’re ever in a dark place, talk to your parents, a school counselor, or a teacher you respect.

9

Date at your own pace.

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Don’t rush out to find a relationship just because other kids are doing it. If you aren’t ready to date someone, don’t. If you think you are ready, go for it. You may feel like you’re “missing out” on something if your friends start dating and you aren’t, but try to put it in perspective. You’ll have plenty of years ahead of you to find your soul mate, so just take it slow. ^{[8]
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- If you do start dating someone, don’t let your relationship keep you from finishing schoolwork, hanging out with friends, or pursuing things you enjoy. Young relationships can be super intense, and it’s easy to lose sight of other things when you start dating.

10

Ask for help if you need it.

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People will help you if you ask, but you do need to ask in the first place. You’re going to have a lot more freedom now. That freedom is great, but it does mean that nobody is going to hold your hand along the way. If you start struggling in class, talk to your teacher about it. If you can’t keep up with your homework, talk to your parents about cutting back on extracurriculars. ^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor

Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- Don’t hesitate to ask classmates for help! It always helps to have someone who is good at math in your corner if you’re struggling with algebra.
- No teacher wants to see you fail, even if it feels like it sometimes. If you’re struggling in a class, talk to the teacher about it and be open. Nobody works at a high school because they want to torture students, and they will help you get up to speed if you ask.

11

Get help if you run into bullying.

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Parents, teachers, and school staff will help handle any bullies. In the meantime, don’t let bullies get a reaction out of you. They want you to fight, argue, or act out. Don’t give them that satisfaction. Keep a neutral face and just play them off like they’re being childish (because they are). Once you’re able to get help, don’t wait. Tell someone about what’s going on to put an end to it. ^{[10]
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- Bullies act out because there’s something wrong with them, not you. Don’t let them get you down. They’re just trying to make themselves feel better by making other people feel worse.
- Stand up for other classmates if you see them getting bullied.
- Don’t worry about “being a snitch” or anything like that. If anyone accuses you of something like this, just say, “They were acting like a jerk. Of course I told someone,” or, “They shouldn’t be bullying people in the first place.” There’s nothing wrong with getting help if someone is acting cruel.

12

Avoid drugs and alcohol.

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There’s nothing cool or fun about ruining your body. It’s possible that you’ll run into some sticky situations in high school at some point when it comes to drugs and alcohol. There’s nothing cool about that stuff. If you ever find yourself in a setting where you’re around these things, remove yourself from the situation. It’s dangerous, bad for you, and you’re very likely to get in trouble.
- Even if someone says otherwise, electronic cigarettes are just as bad as regular cigarettes. You can become addicted to nicotine if you smoke an e-cigarette.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What can I do to turn things around if I'm always late?

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Ashley Pritchard, MA

School Counselor

Expert Answer

Remember, all you can do is show up on time, go to your classes, and hope for the best. There aren't any hidden tricks or hacks here. You have to get to class on time and put the work in to do well.

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Question

How can I impress teachers on the first day of school?

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Ashley Pritchard, MA

School Counselor

Expert Answer

Just pay attention. Whether they're lecturing or doing some kind of intro presentation, focus on your teacher. Make eye contact, keep your desk organized, and ask questions. If you're engaged, your teachers will be impressed.

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Question

How should I introduce myself to classmates?

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Ashley Pritchard, MA

School Counselor

Expert Answer

Just say your full name. If there are any ice-breaker questions you can answer those, but you don't need to say anything else. You can also tell your classmates what your preferred pronouns are, depending on whether that's important to you or not.

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Don’t worry too much about being cool. Even if you aren’t the most popular kid in your class, you’re really not missing out on anything. Be yourself and you’ll have a grand time in high school! ^{[11]
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If you’re given a map of the school, use it! Plan out the routes between classes so you know where you’re going on the first official day of school. It can help to hold on to this map in a folder and carry that around when transitioning between classes until you can memorize the layout.

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How to Survive Your Freshman Year in High School

Steps

Be friendly, introduce yourself, and smile.

Stay organized.

Pay attention during orientation.

Develop good relationships with your teachers.

Make friends with a bunch of different people.

Find extracurricular activities you enjoy.

Show up on time.

Be kind to your body.

Date at your own pace.

Ask for help if you need it.

Get help if you run into bullying.

Avoid drugs and alcohol.

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