Starting high school can be super scary and overwhelming. But we’ve all been there, and this article is meant to give you some advice on how to start high school on a great foot.

Homeroom Teachers
The start of Freshman year can feel super overwhelming, but there are a lot of people and resources around this school that are specifically meant to make your life easier. One of the best people to familiarize yourself with is your homeroom teacher. If you have any questions and you don’t know who to reach out to, they’re a great first person to ask.

Football Games and Activities
Going to the start of the year football games and after school events can seem scary if you haven’t gone before, but they’re another great way to get to know people at school and have a good time. If you’re scared to go by yourself, convince one friend to go with you and then go from there. Or ask someone who you think is cool in one of your classes to go, and see what happens! It can feel scary to go to school events, but it’s a great way to make new friends and you’ll end up having a good time and being glad you made the most out of your highschool experience.

Joining Clubs
Joining clubs as a freshman can feel very scary, especially if you don’t know anyone else doing them. However, as soon as you get over the initial fear of putting yourself out there you will be so glad that you did. This isn’t just meant to be a plug to get you involved in the Noctiluca, although it is a great club here at North! Becoming a part of various clubs, sports, and other groups within the school is an amazing way to get involved. It allows you to meet people in different grades and classes who share similar interests and passions as you. If you’re on Instagram, start browsing club instagram pages and follow the ones you’re interested in to find out about upcoming meetings, or look for club posters throughout the school.

Overall Takeaway: Be Yourself and Do the Scary Stuff
Last year, I got the opportunity to interview three seniors throughout the year about what they have learned throughout high school. There was one comment that they all brought up, and in doing so they echoed the sentiment that almost every senior at this school has. When you first start high school, everything feels like such a big deal. You feel like you have to fit in perfectly with everyone else and you don’t want to do anything embarrassing or be the odd one out. It’s a perfectly natural way to feel, and on some level it makes sense to want to fit in. As you keep getting older, fitting in in high school will begin to matter less and less, and you’ll realize there are going to be bigger things in your life than these four walls. If you start doing what you actually care about and being who you want to be earlier in your high school career, it will only end up benefiting you long term. So put yourself out there! Go to football games, join clubs, wear the clothes you want to wear and say the things you want to say. Your time at this school feels like a lot, but it’s going to go by fast so try and make the most of every minute. You got this!