AUGUST 2019

ack to SCHOOL
What no one tells you about surviving high school
BY CHLOE KILANO
The summer before high school
is filled with an enormous
amount of emotions. You may
be feeling ecstatic to be done with
middle school, and beyond ready to
begin this next chapter of your life.
You may already be missing middle
school, terrified of the challenges
that come with high school. If you’re
in the same mindset that I was in just
two years ago, there’s a healthy mix
of both. I’m going to give you some
advice that will make your freshman
year, and the rest of high school, easier,
less stressful, and fun.
You don’t have to fit in
with the crowd
When it comes to staying true to
your character, high school students
can have a pretty difficult time avoiding
the social expectations of being
the average teenager. Remember
this: people are going to judge you
no matter what; you may as well do
whatever it is that makes you happy.
As cliché as it is, just be yourself, and
you will make friends. You will find
your place in high school.
Your grades matter
Having good grades in high school
is extremely important. Your grades
in high school will determine which
colleges you will be accepted to,
how much scholarship money you
will earn, which classes you will be
allowed to take, etc. Develop good
study habits, don’t slack, and earn
good grades throughout your freshman
year, because it will act as
the foundation for the rest of high
school. I know that sleep is much
more appealing than staying up until
two in the morning to study for a
test (which, at this point, you probably
don’t care about), but it’ll be immensely
rewarding when all of your
hard work pays off in the form of college
acceptances and scholarships.
But your grades don’t define you
They are important, but they aren’t everything.
Just because you didn’t do as
well on a test as you wish you had, does
not mean you’re complete failure and
you won’t get into college. As a perfectionist
and someone with huge goals,
I know how terrible a low grade can
feel. Keep moving forward. Remember
that everyone has different strengths,
dreams, and talents. Yours may not be
in the classroom, and there is absolutely
nothing wrong with that.
Know how to manage your stress
High school is stressful, but many of the
things students worry about are not as
big of a deal as they may seem. Manage
your time well, stay organized, make
time for yourself, and learn to say no.
Remember that you can’t control everything,
and high school is only four
years of your life. It can also be helpful
to try some stress-relieving activities,
such as exercising, baking, writing,
etc. Everyone is different; manage your
time and handle your stress in the way
that best fits you.
Try everything
High school is about the time when
people start asking where you want
to go to college, or what you want to
pursue after college. Signing up for
clubs, sports, activities and going to
as many of the school-wide events as
possible not only allows you to figure
out what you do and do not like, but
to meet new people, which leads me
to my next point.
Talk to everyone
Introduce yourself to people you
have never heard of or seen before,
because you’ll be spending the
next four years with them. You’ll
go through finals week and Segment
1 classes with them, they’ll
become your brothers and sisters.
My closest friends are not people
who I went to middle school with,
but people that I talked to during
my first semester of freshman year.
And remember, they’re just as nervous
as you are, if not, more.
Ask for help when you need it
You have dozens of resources at
your disposal if you are struggling
throughout the year. Your teachers
and counselors are there to make
your life easier and to help you with
the transition into high school (because
it can be a pretty tough one).
Do not ever hesitate to go to a
teacher if you’re not understanding
the material, or to a counselor if
you need help with anything. Upperclassmen
are there to help you
too; they aren’t mean and scary like
the movies make them out to be.
As a junior, I know that I would
be happy to help out a freshman
who is still learning the ropes. Asking
for help isn’t weird and doesn’t
mean you’re stupid, we’ve all been
in your shoes, and remember how
much we appreciated help during
our freshman year. Don’t be afraid
to ask for it.
Soak up every second of it
High school goes by indescribably
fast. There will be days when you
cannot wait to leave high school
behind and move on with the next
chapter of your life; still, try to enjoy
it. Take in every moment with your
friends, soak up every pep rally, and
savor every single moment—even
the bad ones. Before you know it,
you’ll be walking across that stage
in a cap and gown, looking at your
brothers and sisters, and wondering
how 4 years went by so quickly.
I hope this advice helps you as
you start this next chapter of your
life. High school is a fun, stressful,
amazing, overwhelming, and exciting
experience, all wrapped up into
four extremely short years.
20 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2019