A Senior's Advice for Freshmen by Abigail LaLonde

I know all of you freshmen have been told at least a thousand times by a thousand different people what the best advice for freshmen is and what you really need to know. I am here to set it straight and let you know what I believe every freshman should know.

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to get involved- seriously! There are so many interesting clubs and activities to join, and there is literally something for everyone. If you are worried about not being good enough or not fitting in, don’t worry about it, and just try it. You never know how good you are going to be until you try it, and you might even love it!

Another piece of advice you should know is to stay ahead in school. When your teacher assigns you homework in advance, do it. I know you will never want to do it, but trust me, you will thank yourself for it later. Always get your homework done before the due date; it will help reduce your homework load and stress.

While we are on the topic of homework, make sure to use your study time wisely. You will only have a study hour for your first two years of high school. Although it may not feel like much, you can really accomplish a lot in twenty minutes.

When you are an upperclassman, you will get to have an entire hour to study. Studying is an important skill to pick up on. If you can set aside twenty minutes each night to study for your classes, you will already know the information when it comes to test day, and it will make the day go by smoothly.

Starting a routine for your weekday is an excellent idea. Getting up and going to bed at the same time every day will help your body adjust and feel well rested. Along with feeling well rested, you should always make time to study.

One of the inevitable parts of being a freshman you should know about is friends change. Seriously - and believe me when I say this - the friends you had in middle school will change. In high school, you focus on the classes you pick, and you will meet so many amazing people in those classes and make a plethora of new friends.

Now that you know everything you need to know as a freshman, go out there, and slay your freshman year!

Abigail LaLonde (senior) pictured with her brother Nicholas (freshman).