Freshman year can be a struggle for some. New school, new students, new teachers, and higher expectations. Keeping track of seven different classes everyday for a full school year isn’t easy, especially if you participate in extracurricular activities at Northeast. This year there are approximately 400 new freshman here at Northeast, which means 400 new students starting their high school journey. 

Majority of high school knowledge comes with experience, but this will show you some tips on how to start high school off the right way. 

“You have to take your freshman year seriously, this will help you stay on track throughout your high school career,” said LNE senior Tony Tran. It’s easy to get caught up in other things that you might have going on in your life, but school should always be a top priority for everyone. You never want to look back on your freshman year and have regrets about what you did or what you didn’t do. Setting yourself up for success will never hurt. Starting off your freshman year strong will set the pace for the rest of your high school experience. 

Another thing that every high school student struggles with is the dreaded finals week. Finals week can be extremely stressful for those who are not prepared. Students who don’t fall behind on assignments and tests and keep a close eye on their grades are generally more prepared for finals week. Make sure that you understand what your finals are going to be over and study that material, although it might be easier said than done, it will help you survive finals. You also want to take it one final at a time. Understand the finals schedule and make time do get work done. 

“Find out what it is that you enjoy to do, it can be sports, clubs, music, anything that you might have a passion for, and embrace it,” says Kaleb Lybarger, a current senior at Northeast. Doing the things that you have passion for is very important while in high school because it will help you plan for your future in the years after school. The last thing that you want is to be an upperclassman and have no clue what you want to do with your life after school. Most people of success will tell you that it’s not about the money, it’s about what you love to do. 

Having a good group of people that you hang out around is important. You meet a lot of different people in high school, and with every school theres the good and the bad. You want to surround yourself with people who have the same goals and interests. While in high school friends come and go, so you have to choose wisely, which is the hard part.

Overall, freshman year has a lot of challenges, but if you keep school as a top priority and stay on top of things, you will have a fun and exciting experience!