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By Valentina Omotosho ('23)
The time has finally arrived! You get to walk into the high school hallways covered in pictures and student portraits that echo memories of the past. As you wander through the building, you look for familiar voices and faces to guide you. Not to worry, just like you, every other student that has attended the highschool were once freshmen too. They’ve also felt anxious in the same rooms filled with foreign faces! So relax, take a deep breath and follow the course of time. To help, here are a few tips on maneuvering this new journey to guide your way through the next four years!
Photo courtesy of Optum Perks
The phrase “relax” is not to devalue the gravity of anxiety one faces in new environments. But it’s to remind you that there are numerous other freshmen who feel the same way as you do. Besides, most freshmen are confused about their first time in high school since it’s pretty much a new experience for everyone, so it's okay to be nervous, trust me. Everyone relates! Moreover, in life, we will all begin new phases that we must confront and navigate. Therefore these experiences give you an opportunity to encounter and gain knowledge on what it’s like to be in a new environment. In all, every student, freshmen or upperclassmen, are all in the same boat as we try to navigate the new school year, so don’t worry. Take a deep breath and… relax!
At the end of the day, we’re all humans and make mistakes. We have moments of victories alongside losses. It can be stressful not knowing where your classes are or not knowing where specific areas such as the library or cafeteria are located in the building. That’s perfectly okay! As a matter of fact, some seniors who have been in the building for four years and they still have a difficult time finding their classes (no diss to any upperclassmen at all!) This is just to explain that it’s okay, we don’t have everything figured out. But with time, we’ll get used to our surroundings and feel a bit more at ease. Furthermore, if you are stressing out about a particular issue, just know that your guidance counselors will always welcome you with open arms, so pay a visit to them from time to time!
Photo courtesy of REDBUBBLE
This next one is quite a major tip. You have four years in NRHS, so it's completely fine if you do not know what specific classes you want to take! Around sophomore and junior year is usually when you really start taking specific classes that pertain to what you want to do outside of high school, therefore everyone is pretty much taking the same classes freshman year. Nevertheless, keep in mind that these four years fly by, so pay attention in classes and put in effort to achieve good grades since they all add up from now till senior year. Another important piece of advice is to keep in mind that freshman year classes are often less rigorous, so use this opportunity to boost your GPA before taking the more challenging classes in the following years to come, which will definitely take up much more time and effort! Contemplate an addition to your schedule as well! If you have lunch coupled with a study hall period, think of taking Health in place of one (it’s only two quarters long). These years are already stressful enough since most of the time they are filled with numerous ongoing activities both in and out of school.
Photo courtesy of Lohud
Participation is an important aspect of your high school journey! Most seniors have some regrets about not joining a sport or club during their freshman year, but ultimately forgoing and end up wishing they had started early on. Now is your chance though! Learn from the regrets and experiences of others, and join clubs, activities and sports that interest you. If you are looking to be in a Varsity sport by your junior and/or senior year, join the team now since there’s Junior Varsity teams available for most sports. If you have the ability to enhance your skills and build your way up, don’t worry about not being good enough for a team or wondering if you’re going to make the cut.
However, with that being said, make sure to remain involved, be on time and strive to work together with your teammates. Furthermore, join the many clubs at NR that may interest you! One aspect of NRHS is that there are numerous clubs that could potentially pique your interest , ranging from Debate to Kpop. Moreover, most of these clubs involve obtaining volunteer hours which means you are being offered the chance to invest your time in your interest, so take advantage of it! In all, joining sports and clubs not only build your resume and aid in college application (if you plan on going to college) but also help build one’s character development.
Photo courtesy of Lohud
It’s high school, which means in those four year, things happen. People change (including yourself) in many ways, more than one. Don’t expect to remain in the same social group, but you can always maneuver friendships with care. High school is all about a balance, losing friends and gaining friends. At the end of the day, know that it's okay to be alone at times. This gives you the opportunity to truly focus on yourself and achieve your goals this school year. In addition, beware of peer pressure and surround yourself with people who impact you positively. If your mindset and values no longer fit within a social group, it's okay to take some time to yourself.
As time goes on, you will start to attract people with similar values and interests. With that being said, always try to be open-minded. There are so many students in NRHS, which allows for a variety of opinions and ideas to be circulated. Be selective of who you choose to impact you, but be open to understanding others’ perspectives and viewpoints as the high school learning experience as a whole. Wrapping this up, I leave you with these tips and wish you the best as you figure out your way through these upcoming years at the highschool. Best of luck!
Cover photo courtesy of Eagle Nation Online
Banner photo courtesy of ADL
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