Juliana Farrell - High School: The Real Deal

From GPAs to Graduation

Y ou've heard all the horror stories; you've seen all the movies-now it's time for the real dea: high school. Is it really as scary and intimidating as its's cracked up to be? Nah. The fact is, high school is whatever you want it to be. You can sulk through high school with your head buried in your book bag or you cab blaze a different path and make the most of the next four years of your life. So what's it going to be?

The first rule of thumb when it comes to high school? Dont believe everything you hear. From ghost stories to gossip, half of the stuff thats whispered in those hallowed halls is pure fiction. Check out these common high school myths.

myth: High school teachers are ogres.

truth: Teachers are human. They have good and bad days, just like the rest of us. But believe it or not, theyre there to help you, not to make your life miserable.

myth: Upperclassmen hate freshmen.

truth: Every single upperclassman was in your shoes once upon a time, so they can sympathizeto a point. Okay, so there might be a couple of bad apples in the senior class who have been waiting three long years for their turn to trip up freshmen. But generally seniors have got much more than you on their minds (think colleges and careers).

myth: Youll be buried in homework.

truth: Youll have a bigger workload and teachers do expect more out of you, but youll see the light of day every now and then. And most of the time, if youre knee-deep in papers and homework, teachers will cut you some slack if you let em know youre overloaded (just dont expect to get away with this very often).

myth: Its best to just blend in.

truth: If you try to get lost in the crowd, you will. Being anonymous wont make high school any easierjust a lot lonelier. Even if youre shy, its better to be noticed than to be wallpaper.

myth: Freshman year sucks.

truth: Your freshman year will be full of ups and downs. Some days will suck; other days will rule. But this roller-coaster ride is all part of learning about who you are and what you want out of life. So, enjoy it while it lasts.

They say high school is the best four years of your life. So why do those two words make you feel like theres a two-headed monster doing back flips in your belly? Because youre new at it. Remember middle school? Your spanking new clothes and school supplies couldnt hide the fact that you were a nerv-ous puddle of sweat and flesh that first day. But you survived it, like everyone else. Still need help? Here are few hints on how to ace your first day.

do memorize your schedule. While youre at it, figure out which of your friends are in your classes. It might seem geeky, but being a bit overprepared beats walking into the wrong class any day.

dont be intimidated. Think about it this way: Its the first day for at least one-fourth of the student body, and theyre just as lost, scared, and clueless as you are. So act confident (even if your insides are quivering like Jell-O).

do ask for help, directions, and advice. Nobodys going to call the freshman police if you fess up to being con fused. Most people are more than willing to dole out words of wisdom, whether its the lowdown on a teachers pet peeves or how to navigate the lunch line.

dont beat yourself up when things dont go your way. So you fell for the ol fifth-floor-swimming-pool scam, or you did a face plant in front of the entire football team. Big deal. You can stew in your mistakes and be miser able, or you can laugh at yourself (uh, along with the rest of the school) and bounce back after youve finished blushing.

do get involved. Some schools host an orientation fair or club day, and you can sign up for tons of extracurricular activitiesfrom sports teams and spirit groups to student government and foreign language clubs. In the immortal words of a sneaker company, just do it. As clich as it sounds, joining a club is the best way to meet new people. Besides, youll need more than a killer GPA on your rsum when its college application time.

dont overcommit yourself. It takes a while to get used to a new schedule, a new school, and, basically, a whole new way of life, so dont sign up for every club that piques your curiosity. Pick one or two activities that youre into and stick with em. Once you get the hang of high school life, you can always take on more.

do get enough sleep, eat right, and exercise. Sure, its common sense, but when youre worked up about your first day or your first exam, snoozing, snacking, and doing Tae-Bo are pretty much the last things on your mind. But the truth is, all of those things can soothe you when youre stressing and give you the energy and brainpower you need to do your best.

dont try to be someone youre not. Sometimes its hard to be original when everyone else is wearing the same style and has the same haircut, but cloning is for sheep, not people. Nothing says lacks self-confidence louder than trying to fake who you are. So youre not a fashion diva or a sports jock, or maybe youd rather hang out at a museum than at the mall. Be yourself, no matter what. That means speaking your mind and standing up for yourself (and others) even if your attitude or ideas arent popular.

do read the student handbook. Whether youre curious about the dress code or want to find out the schools policy on harassment, its in there, along with all the rules of the school, maps of the campus, phone numbers, and, most important, a list of vacation days.

You came, you saw, you conquered your first day of school. Now what about the remaining 719 days? Heres the abbreviated version of what you can expect from the next four years of your lifethe good, the bad, and the ugly.

Freshman Year

the good: You know that saying, Today is the first day of the rest of your life? Well, thats how you should look at your freshman year. Youre starting all over again with a squeaky-clean slat e. Maybe your grades werent great in junior high, maybe you were hanging out with the wrong people, or maybe you were the model student. Whatever your prehigh school history, freshman year is your chance to turn yourself around or keep yourself on track.

Another first-year bonus? Making mistakes is practically a requirement for freshmen. Everyone knows youre new and expects you to goof upa lot. Getting lost on the way to English lit, erasing entire research papers on your computer, falling down three flights of stairsits all part of the learning process (in other words, you learn what not to do and laugh it off in the end).

the bad: Is everything in high school gigantic, or is it just you? Call it the gnome syndrome or the dwarf complex, but high school can seem huge during those first few months. Big books, big classes, big assignments, big tests, big peopleeven the lockers are larger than life. Although school might seem like some kind of freakish Alice-in-Wonderland world, the reality is, its not. Its kind of like when you sat on Santas lap for a picture when you were atyke. The jolly one looked enormous back then, but nowadays he doesnt seem so impressive. The same goes for everything in school. Once youre more comfortable with your surroundings, they wont seem so intimidating.