Full-Time Student with Full-Time Stress: Advice from a Senior

Being a freshman in high school is an inevitable experience for everyone, and being at the bottom of the food chain in a seemingly cutthroat environment is unavoidable, not to mention the strain it can put on your mental health and well-being. While it doesn’t last forever and the daunting feeling of being a newbie gets better as the year goes on, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared right from the get-go. This is a comprehensive list of things a high school senior would recommend to incoming first-year students who may be feeling the pressure of starting something new, fully from personal experience.

Find Your People

One of the most critical aspects of the high school experience is meeting new people and making new friends. Whether you have a pre-established friend group headed into high school or not, you’re inevitably going to meet even more like-minded individuals that you click with. Some great ways to speed up this process are to:

• Sign up for classes you enjoy
• Extracurriculars
• Be active in your classes
• Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself

Trusting Teachers

Believe it or not, your teachers and mentors are there to help you every step along the way. Even if you’re intimidated, it’s a good idea to get on their good side and let them get to know you as soon as possible. It will only help you along in the future. While it can be difficult to get to know them, some tips on doing so efficiently are:

• Sign up for their Hives
• Ask questions in class
• Ask them about themselves
• Engage in the content

Safe Places

Finding the people and teachers you can trust is important, but so is your alone time. Finding places you can comfortably be yourself and decompress in a high school environment is, from my experience, one of the most critical aspects of surviving your high school years. Some of my favorite places to escape have been:

• Trusted teacher’s classrooms
• Preferred bathrooms
• Outside
• Guidance offices

Avoid Drama

This is something that is pretty commonly said, so common that it might get brushed off as unimportant, but a key tip to remember when looking out for your mental health and wellbeing in high school is to avoid drama and gossip. Whether it be with a friend group, a significant other, or someone you may not like that much, getting roped into drama with your friends and peers will only act as a detriment to your health and performance. Some sure-fire ways to keep yourself out of typical high-school drama are:

• Maintain open communication
• Be honest with your friends
• Set boundaries
• Know when to say no

Overall, high school can be an incredibly stressful change for everyone, no matter how prepared you might feel. While this list does help a lot in the long run, my best advice for all the incoming first-years would be to just relax, have fun, be yourself, and don’t be afraid to step back if you need a break. There is never shame in taking a mental health day.

Hotlines

If you are feeling a little more than overwhelmed and find yourself in the need of more assistance, here is a list of crisis hotlines that are available 24/7 for your convenience. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-2433

Crisis Text Hotline: Text CONNECT to 741741

National Youth Crisis Hotline:  1-800-448-4663

LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Hotline: 1-866-488-7386

Youthline (teen-to-teen): 1-877-968-8454