Warrior Word

by Hasset Kassa

Congratulations! You made it to high school. Now it’s time to lock in.

There are a lot of things people don’t tell you about freshman year. Balancing school, social life, clubs, sports, and getting help when you need it can be challenging when you don’t know where, when, or how to do these things. If you feel confused and want to set yourself up for success, you’re in luck! If you’re just looking for some useful, unconventional tips…you’re also in luck! This piece will serve as your ultimate guide to not only surviving, but CONQUERING your first year of high school.

Classes

I know this probably isn’t what you’re here for, but I cannot stress it enough: DON’T. SKIP. CLASS. Also, don’t stop and group up in the hallway to talk to your friends. No, I was not told by admin to include that. However, I’ve noticed that attendance doesn’t seem to be a concern for freshmen. Sometimes school will feel like it literally drains the life out of you, but know that attendance and paying attention in class counts. Freshman year is arguably the easiest year of high school (especially if you happen to be a future IB student), and developing good habits and good grades now will save your mental health and your GPA later on. 

Also, try hard in your classes! If you’re not doing well and are trying to convince yourself you “have time” to raise your GPA, or you don’t think that one missing assignment really matters, remember that you only have 8 semesters of high school. Don’t waste the easiest ones. You’ll look back and wish you did things differently when you’re an upperclassman struggling to stay afloat in classes with college starting soon. Make life easier for yourself while you can!

If you are a student who is genuinely trying in school but can’t manage to get good grades, remember that there are many resources available for you. Something that has helped me a lot personally is going to my teachers for help after school if I didn’t understand a particular concept. Teachers really appreciate communication and are almost always willing to do whatever it takes to help you succeed in their class! Making good connections with your teachers will also benefit you later on when you need recommendation letters for college and job applications. Tutoring is also available in the Library on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, so take advantage of this if you need additional support.

Choosing classes for next year happens in the springtime! I encourage you to look at what your dream college course requirements are (3 years of history, 1 year of art, etc) and map out when you will take those classes. If you don’t have a dream college, it’s not too early to look around and see which schools you’re interested in while checking the prerequisites for those. This will save you from scrambling to take those required classes in your junior/senior year or not being able to take those classes at all. Also, if you get put into a class you know you won’t be successful in, communicate that with your counselor and see if you can get switched out. This totally saved me this year when I switched from IB Chem to IB Psych.

Social Life

Freshman year is the time for you to branch out! While meeting new people doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your day ones from middle school, remember that it’s okay to outgrow people. Surround yourself with people who support and make you better, both as a student and as a person. You can do this by participating in clubs, sports, and other activities and events that interest you, some of which you’ll read more about in the next section.

Having at least one friend in each class and lunch will also be super helpful! Even if you’re a shy person, try talking to the students around you. This will be helpful for establishing study groups, comparing homework assignments, getting information on what happened in class if you were absent, as well as having someone fun to sit next to during boring lectures.

I know it feels cringe, weird, or maybe even pointless to get involved in school spirit, but trust me – you won’t regret participating. Coming from someone who doesn’t typically like big crowds and loud events, joining in on school spirit will make your high school experience SO much better. You’ll find that you will feel more connected to fellow classmates and might even make new friends. Even if you feel like you will hate it, how will you know unless you try?

In that same vein, participate in spirit days, join in on school chants, and represent your class proudly. Your enthusiasm matters, so make sure that your class has a chance at taking first place at any upcoming assemblies and class competitions!

If you feel like you can bring better ideas for school spirit, consider joining the Leadership class or signing up for an ASB position in the spring. This is a great way to get more involved in our school community and make a difference.

Extracurriculars

Schoolwork is relatively easy in 9th grade, so using your extra time to participate in extracurriculars will give you lots of room to learn and grow academically, physically, socially, or just as a person (depending on the extracurriculars you choose). Clubs and sports are also essential to building a school community and bonding with others who have similar interests as you!

Personally, I am involved in about eight clubs. Whether you prefer STEM or debate, community-building or individual projects, or writing or music, there’s a club for everyone at EW! We have so many to choose from, so make sure you take advantage of them. (List of Clubs 25-26)

Our school also offers 14+ different sports to help you stay active and cultivate your confidence and leadership skills throughout the year. If you’re not athletic, I encourage you to check out some of our non-cut sports that don’t require tryouts. You can visit this website for more details on the sports occurring in each season.

I also recommend that you start looking into programs or internships outside of school to explore your passions. This will be helpful not only for your own growth but also for your college/trade school applications in senior year!

On a more serious note, if you are interested in applying to internships or programs outside of school (which I HIGHLY recommend to get started on as soon as you can), make sure to email the school registrar, Anna Mclane (mclanea206@edmonds.wednet.edu), or your counselor to get your transcript. A transcript is required for many program applications, so getting it as soon as first semester grades come out will save you countless headaches. I also encourage you to invest in at least two pairs of professional attire if you are interested in participating in Model UN, TSA, or any other conferences outside of school. Formal wear is also helpful for internships, like at a legislative office.

Although you don’t have to decide your whole future career and plan out your life at this stage, make sure you start thinking about what you want to pursue. If you’re unsure, trying out different clubs and participating in sports can help you find your strengths and learn more about yourself.

Skills + Smart Moves

This is pretty conventional information, but food from home is ALWAYS better. If you’re buying from the vending machine, make sure to check expiration dates. I’ve found food that was 2 months old in there. This goes for lunch too: make sure you check your food thoroughly before eating it because sometimes things can get past the lunch staff that I guarantee you will not want in your body. If you aren’t eating, the library is always open for some peace and quiet.

Stay away from the E bathrooms. Not much to say on that. And when you do use the restrooms, make sure to check the stalls before using them. If you really feel uncomfortable using the multi-stall bathrooms, there is a single-stall restroom in the counselor’s office.

If you lose an item, head to the Warrior Support Center to get it back. As daunting as it may seem, both Jordi and Ms. Maria are super helpful and have helped me find my phone multiple times after losing it!

If you’re going through something difficult in or outside of school, the counseling center is always open during the school day. You can head in there and schedule an appointment with your counselor or the school psychologist to help you work through any sort of problems you have or situations you might be going through. Remember to take your mental health seriously.

I hope you can use this article to set yourself up for success this year! Make sure to reach out to me through email (kassahas000@edmonds15.org) if you have any additional questions 🙂