Student Perspective: A Letter to the Class of 2014

Dear Incoming Freshmen,

Welcome to high school. You are about to start an unforgettable four-year journey. As a senior, I can give you a little bit of advice and a look into your future.

The first thing you will notice right away about high school is that you are given more freedom. Now, don't get me wrong, you can't run around the halls singing and dancing in the middle of the school day (well, some people actually do), but there's a bit more flexibility here than in middle school.

The most obvious part of high school freedom is free periods.

Yes, there will be times other than lunch where you will not have to attend a class. That happens when a teacher is absent or leaves school abruptly for certain reasons and no substitute can be found. But keep in mind that you will have to stay in the cafeteria or library until your next class.

Later in your high school career you may have scheduled free periods, but try to limit the amount of those you have and instead take electives. Most of these classes are a fun way to boost your GPA, as they are not incredibly demanding. 

Plus, it will never, ever hurt to put in the extra effort in school. Having a free period also provides a nice little break in the day and some extra time to study and work on assignments.

Speaking of academics, you are approaching the three most important years of your educational career. While freshman year is less scrutinized by colleges than your second and third years, this is the time to establish good study habits and set yourself up for success. It's also the perfect year to assess whether or not you can jump to harder classes for the following years.

(Quick Tip: It's usually better to challenge yourself than play it safe. You can always switch back if your are overwhelmed.)

The most drastic departure from middle school life is in the social life.

Over the course of four years, you will become close with people you have never even spoken to before and grow apart from some of your closest friends from middle and elementary school. You will hang out with people that you could never have even imagined being friends with just two years ago. You will be immersed in one of the most socially stimulating environments you can imagine.

With any drastic change comes an overwhelming feeling, so here are a few tips to help you survive the first year:

• First and foremost, balance is the key to an enjoyable high school experience. Never let your studies take a second seat to you social life, because after all, colleges aren't going to be checking on how many parties you went to during high school. It is crucial to take your academics seriously throughout all four years. However, you do not want to bury yourself in a stack of textbooks. You only go to high school once and it's important to have a healthy social life. 
• So here's how you manage it: if you budget your time and take full advantage it, you should be able to find a good balance between socializing and studying. Studying with friends is an effective way to combine both. Finally, try to avoid procrastination as much as possible. It adds a significant load of unnecessary stress to your life.
• Second, don't worry too much about upperclassmen messing with you. The vast majority of us have much better things to do than make fun of a kid for wearing a giant backpack or looking completely lost. In fact, if you do get lost (which may very well happen the first couple of weeks), you can ask for help. We don't bite. I promise. Also, I don't know who told you, but there is NO "Freshman Friday." Here, there hasn't been one for as long as I can remember and there are no plans to revive it. The worst thing you would receive is during the pep rallies (we have three each year) when the rest of the school will boo you.
• At high school, try to develop good relationships with your teachers. You never know when you might need a little extra help with a topic or a little extra time on an assignment. Later on, you are also going to need a few recommendations for colleges, so don't be afraid to reach out to your teachers either in class or after school.
• Finally, do your very best to stay away from drugs and alcohol. The temptation will be there and you will more than likely find yourself in a situation where alcohol or other such substances will be present. Please avoid partaking in such "activities." It's a messy road to go down and I have seen and heard of many people who find it really hard to navigate away from that road. As "cool" as they might seem, alcohol and drugs have never done anything good for anybody and it's just best to avoid them all together. You really aren't missing out on anything.

All in all, the keys to making it through your freshman year are balance, hard work, and smart choices. If you can stick to those three principals, you are going to have an amazing four years.

See you around!

Editor's Note: Sylvan Lane will be a senior at Lakeland High School in the fall. He runs the weekly "Student Perspective" column.