Freshman Survival Guide – From Someone Who Knows!

If you are an incoming freshman, right now you are probably wondering what
Madison High School will be like.

Now that you have (hopefully) finished any summer homework, you have some time to think about starting high school. You're asking yourself, will I like the high school? Will I be able to successfully become part of the school community? Will I survive freshman year?

While everyone eventually makes it through, there are a couple pointers that might make the transition a little easier:

1. Be open minded
2. Manage your time
3. Balance your activities

Be open minded – If you have older siblings or friends in the high school, you may have heard of hard teachers. True, some are demanding, but try not to arrive with preconceived notions of teachers, as it will impair your ability to start the year off fresh. Expect to be challenged by them, but the teachers will always be fair. As long as you work hard and behave, you will establish great relationships with them.

Manage your time – Yes, there are more assignments in high school than in junior school. To avoid being swamped by work; don't procrastinate! A great way to get homework done is by putting your study hall to good use. There will come a day when you don't have homework and then you can relax in study hall, but it is extremely helpful to do homework in study hall, especially if you do extra-curricular activities. Also, make use of the tutorials if you need them. Another way to ensure success is by being organized. Keep a crate with tests and quizzes; it will be very useful when midterms and finals arrive.

Balance your activities – If you have been involved in extra-curricular activities and have a good sense of balance, you are already off to a great start. Just remember that there is a higher level of time commitment in high school for many activities such as sports and music. Even though there are so many new clubs and sports, don't feel that you have to join all of them. Start slowly, making sure you understand what kind of involvement they entail. Get a handle on your academics first.

One last word of advice: don't be afraid of the upperclassmen! Chances are, you will have a class with students from other grades. This is a great opportunity to make new friends. Seniors WON'T shove you into lockers!

Good Luck!

- Daniela Cleary