Adjust or You'll Bust: My Freshman Year Experience

Freshman year is a time of firsts: first time picking out classes you want, first time learning with kids from different middle schools, and the first time feeling that you’ve grown up. There are so many new challenges, including everything from academic struggles to friend drama. Big questions start to pop up. Who are you? What will you do with your future? Will you strive for greatness or settle for mediocracy?

Adjusting to a new environment is difficult, as everything is on an elevated level, and it makes everyday life feel like there is nothing beyond high school. First of all, having a strong, reliable support system is crucial in high school. For me, it was my friends. They always had my back whenever I needed support, whether that be complaining about teachers or finishing an assignment last minute. Finding that group of friends that you fit into makes high school so much easier. 

I enjoyed choosing my own classes, but it was also a struggle. I have been in advanced classes since elementary school, and I thought this year would be no different. In addition to the pressure I put on myself to succeed, I was also competing with other students. School is a competition where the classes you take - advanced versus regular - and your grades - straight A’s vs. a couple B’s - determine your worth. Not only did I select all advanced classes and an AP, but I also joined many clubs and participated in two sports seasons.

From finishing my homework on the bus home after an away game, to coming home at 8 pm to three more hours of school work, to scrambling to complete an assignment the morning of - I definitely bit off more than I could chew. In the end, I dropped an honors geometry class for the regular version, which was disappointing, but it was what I needed. There’s a stigma about dropping classes in favor of the easier ones, but I’m here to tell you that it’s completely normal.

Don’t overburden yourself to fit a certain standard—it’s definitely not worth it. 

Going into freshman year and being the oldest child in my family, I had no idea what kinds of clubs and AP classes I should take; or even what was offered. I simply joined clubs because they seemed "good" instead of my interest in them, which is something I definitely regret.

FBLA, Student Council, and starting up the Science Olympiad club at my high school were my main clubs, and I also attended Book Club. Looking back now, I wished I didn't do Student Council because I wasn't invested in it,  and I did not attempt to take on a leadership role. Because of this, I would recommend looking at all the clubs offered at your school before going into freshman year, and doing what you know you have an interest in!

Discovering your passions during your first year of high school will make the rest of your years easier, and overall enjoyable. Next year, I am excited to venture out of the "safety" clubs that I did this year and try things I was afraid to do before, such as Environmental Club or WYSE.

AP classes are also "new" to freshman, especially to me. I had absolutely no idea what they were until I was recommended to take AP World History or AP Human Geography. At my school, this is only the second year freshman are allowed to take an AP. I decided to take AP World based off of the opinions of my sophomore friends who said that AP World is a more worthwhile course. AP World is a challenging, rigorous class that will make you extremely tired and wish that there was an extra day to the weekend.

Being a procrastinator myself, it was a hard challenge to balance everything I did with this class. It is also really easy to forget that AP classes are college-level courses, meaning that they are courses one would take in college - they are not meant to be easy. In all honesty, if you are offered the chance to take an AP freshman year, I would suggest taking one as long as you don't already have too much on your plate. If you can save money by not taking that class in college, why not? However, when the AP classes that you are taking become redundant and unnecessary, there begins to be no point in taking that class.

Simply, take classes that you either are interested in or want to knock out; don't take an AP class just to take an AP class.

It’s also really important to take this year to figure out what study habits work for you since it is an unspoken truth that freshman year is the year you end up slacking off. As someone who has always struggled with time management, I can shamefully say that I haven’t figured it out yet either. For me, procrastination seems to be tied to my will to get things done, and as I come closer to a deadline, it feels more meaningful and necessary to do at that moment. I’m still trying to work out strategies to help, some including a calendar and an app that constantly reminds me to get my work done.

I would also tell you about what I read in this procrastination book my dad got me, but of course, I haven’t read it yet. I can proudly say that I survived freshman year, but it certainly did make me think about the choices I make and how it affects me long-term. Being a freshman is a grueling experience that everyone goes through, but it doesn’t have to be unenjoyable. Taking the time to find out what sparks joy (credits to Marie Kondo) in your life should always be a top priority.

To incoming freshman: remember, you won’t always be a freshman. That’s definitely something to look forward to.