Pre-High School Advice
Do you think you made the right decision when you chose the high school you currently attend?
Yes, for me the ability to have as many opportunities that our school offers is really beneficial. There are so many people and things to do, that everyone can find at least one thing that they enjoy at the school.
There is so much diversity at this school as well and so many different people to meet. People don’t have to be confined to one friend group, they can have several and be able to meet people they wouldn’t otherwise meet.
What is the average high schoolers social life like?
You’ll find more maturity in it than what middle school provides. Lots of learning experiences that’ll mold who you are. You’ll be a completely different person by the end of senior year.
While everyone has a different social experience in high school, joining extracurricular will make it much easier to join a friend group or two. It’s important to try a lot of activities, even if you aren’t sure you’ll like them. Make it much easier to find a friend group. It’s important to try a lot of clubs, even if you aren’t sure you’ll like them. Just put yourself out there!
It is hard to generalize the whole school as having an “average” social life. In a big school, you have the opportunity to meet people with all different interests and levels of extraversion/introversion. A lot of people hang out with more than one group and have friends from all aspects of their school life from clubs to sports to classes. You will find people over your four years that have the same social interests as you. Most people are open to hanging out with new people and including people in groups especially as you get into senior year.
Is high school math hard for an average intelligent student?
If you utilize the available resources (like the tutoring center, your teachers, khan academy/Google, or your classmates) then it shouldn’t be above your abilities. If you’re struggling a lot or you find it too easy in the first few weeks, switch your class.
No, as long as you are in a math class that suits your skill level. It is important to listen to your teachers and do the homework assignments. The tutoring center also has great resources for help if you need it.
Does where you sit in the lunchroom actually matter?
Not even a little bit. Find people you’ve met before and you’ll be solid.
Not at all, there will always be someone you know or at least someone you will get to know, and you can always change seats or move around to meet new people.
What is your favorite memory of high school so far?
Playing Ninja in gym with friends when we definitely should’ve been playing basketball.
My favorite memory of High School is when a group of me and other poets gathered in a circle and started singing “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White Tees after a Spoken Word Club meeting had ended back in my freshmen year. I still have the video and even look at it from time to time…
Being a part of the clubs and building friendships with those (sharing similar interests)
Being at the lunch table and meeting new or old friends and being able to have that space for yourselves
What was your initial reaction when attending your first day of high school?
Terror. I was freaked out about finding my classes and making sure I had good teachers, I think, but I don’t remember it now.
On my first day, I was excited to be in a new environment but was nervous that I wouldn’t know anybody in my classes mostly gym because it is such a social class. What scared me the most though was not being able to find my classes because this is a much bigger school than the middle school I attended.
I was scared as I didn't know who was going to be in my classes and what they would be like as they were people I had never met or seen before.
Is high school boring?
School will inevitably be boring but the high school itself can be very fun and very interesting. There’s always something to be entertained by or excited about.
High school is kind of an adventure. It is as fun as you want it to be! It is easy to make school fun by getting involved in different clubs or activities and signing up for classes that are interesting to you. It is important to have agency and take advantage of all the cool things this school offers. Every day is a new opportunity, that's the great thing about going to a large school like OPRF, is you will constantly be meeting new people in the halls, during lunch, class, no day is the same here if you don't want it to be. All in all, no. High school is not boring.
How different in terms of difficulty is high school classes/homework when compared to middle schools?
High school feels like more pressure, but it really depends on the classes you take and making sure your classes are at the right level for you.
High school work is definitely more challenging, but you learn strategies that help you to get through it more easily. The most important thing is time management, and once you figure that out it becomes a lot easier.
I think that the workload in high school is definitely heavier, but as long as you acknowledge the level of challenge that you can handle and manage your time effectively, it makes things much easier.
What is the most challenging part of high school?
Managing the stress of classes while also trying to find time for things I enjoy. And it’s hard not to procrastinate when I get stressed.
Balancing everything that you want to do with your responsibilities as a student. It is difficult at first but it gets much easier as you move throughout high school
Time management and keeping myself organized so that I know what I need to do every night and when things are due.
Staying happy and keeping to your morals throughout changing friend groups
Do you know what you want to do after high school?
Kinda, I have a few general interest areas but no solid post-college career paths. OP does give you a lot of post-high school options besides college though, I just want to go to college.
I have some ideas but nothing’s set in stone. Not knowing is alright! If you’ve got an interest, pursue it and explore your options in high school though.
I don’t know what I want to do after high school, but I know what I want aspects of my life to be like because of my experiences in high school. I also know some of what I DON'T want to do as well as what will help me when I do figure out what I want to do.
What was the transition process like going from middle school to high school?
Odd because there was suddenly this whole new crowd of people you don’t know, but in freshman year you get eased into the high school experience.
Despite the workload becoming more intense, it became easier to do because high school was such a better experience than middle school.
How real is high school compared to what the movies make it seem like?
Completely different. A lot more cockroaches than in a high school musical.
High school is very different than the movies. At OPRF, it is very easy to choose your friend group. In the movies they make it seem like there is only one friend group, and if you’re not a part of it, you’re a complete failure. However, at OPRF this is not the case.
It is very different. As long as you find a group of people who will support you and are good friends, you will be just fine!
If you receive a bad grade on a test, what do you do?
I try to remind myself that who I am and my value in the world is not and will never be defined by a grade or anything like that. It will always be defined by how I behave, how I treat others and myself, and everything else that really matters. Because school doesn’t define who you are.
The best way to try and resolve the problem is to talk to your teacher directly and see what you can do to improve your grade. More than likely, they’ll offer you some type of extra credit or test retake that can help your grade. Or if there is nothing they can do to help, there is always the tutoring center and the teachers there who can help.
What resources are offered at your high school?
Counseling, mental health support, LGBTQ+ resources.
A safe space to talk to a lot of different people with opinions on how to help you. A lot of teachers will guide you through tutoring and want to help.
The tutoring center helps a lot with subjects that are hard to understand.
I think it is important to make a relationship with teachers freshman year so that they can be a good resource throughout high school. Counselors are also a good resource for any help you
Does high school prepare you for the real world?
No, not really. It offers opportunities for job searching along with a few other things, but otherwise, it’s mostly prep for college.
Yes, my high school provides a diverse experience that exposes me to beliefs that I may not agree with, yet learn to coexist with.
What is high school like on your first day?/ Do you have to make friends right away?
It was my birthday, but I didn’t have many friends. I didn’t make friends right away either– instead, I decided to join a club and ended up meeting some of my best friends there.
Freshmen orientation day made it less overwhelming. Seeing familiar faces from middle school made the transition a lot more comfortable and exciting.
High school on the first day is very very stiff. Most if not all are on edge and nervous about being in a new space with a lot of people they don't know. I didn’t make friends right away and I don't think you need to (personally.) I find it better to warm up at your own pace, then observe those in your class then find who you would want to befriend after a week or so.
What clubs/ sports are offered at your high school?
Basically everything, and if what you want isn’t there then you can just make the club.
You name it, we’ve got it. I play Girls Lacrosse and was involved in our Tau Gamma, community service club Freshman-Junior year.
When do you feel the most comfortable raising your hand?
When the teacher has a good vibe and doesn’t shame or condescend to people who ask questions, or when the whole class isn’t judgy or anything.
When you have a comfortable connection with your teacher. Sometimes you end up with teachers who become your closest people in the school and they become the ones you feel more comfortable around. Also if you’re in a class with people you’re comfortable with, then you feel more inclined to raise your hand.
What are some unwritten rules about high school that everyone knows?
Don’t mess around in the bathrooms, it’s annoying and not cool!
If the grades don’t touch, you don’t either!! (i.e. Do not date a freshman if you are a junior, don’t date a sophomore if you’re a senior, and don’t date a freshman as a senior)
Do not walk slow or stand around in the hallways
What do you see yourself doing one year after you graduate?
I want to be in college and have a good time and learn things about which I’m interested.
Most likely go to college, studying the major that I’m passionate about. Hopefully, I’ll be happy with what I’m doing and getting close to pursuing my dream clear.
If you could travel back to the eighth grade what would you tell yourself before entering high school?
Ask for help, you always deserve it. And surround yourself with people who accept you, even if it’s just one or two people.
I’d probably tell myself to reach out to resources given to me like the counselor and social worker and also be more authentic and open to forming friendships with people.
Talk to a lot of people around you. Teachers, coaches, or adults can help you find what you want to do.
Be more open to everything around you and never hesitate to ask for help, because I think I would’ve had better grades and a great phase in 8th grade.
I would tell myself to take school seriously and always turn in assignments. You may think a small assignment doesn’t matter but it could end up being the difference between an A or a B.
Is getting involved actually important?
Yes. You make friends and get experiences by getting involved, as well as help build life skills. Is it detrimental if you don’t join a club? No, but you’ll have fun if you do, and if you aren’t having fun just quit.
If I were to do high school again, joining more clubs would be the one thing I would do differently, especially in the first couple of years. You might feel isolated if you don’t make an effort to maintain your friendships and make new ones.
Yes! Getting involved is super important! You create new connections and meet tons of new people.
YES!!!!!!!!! It is. This gives you experiences, things to talk about, interests to find, friends to make, bonds to build, and makes you busy which makes you a well-rounded person. You don't have to do 5 clubs/sports, but almost everyone is involved in something inside or outside of school and it’s super important for building a foundation for yourself.
What is your secret for getting ready for a quiz or test?
It’s cringey and embarrassing, but tell yourself out loud that you got this. Have a water bottle ready during the test too so that if you start to freak out or get stuck, you can take a sip and refresh and move on. Also Quizlet.
Nothing. If you know it, you know it, if you don’t, you don’t. Cramming information in the last second will not help. Pay attention during class and do the homework.
The secret to getting ready for a quiz or test is to take notes along the way and check in with your teacher about what you should prioritize studying for the upcoming test. You will be prepared and not overwhelmed.
My secret is rewriting notes by hand.
Quizlet!!! And playing games on the topic you’re reviewing like Kahoot or quizezz. Also, I would ask my teacher to give me more sheets to practice on.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you have to offer about high school?
GET INVOLVED!! Participate in at least one sport, club, or activity. You’ll meet so many awesome people there and it’s so much fun. In a big school, extracurriculars always make you feel like you’ve got your community
No matter what anybody tells you, the absolute most important thing about the high school experience is growing as a person and learning who you are. You never hear about your parents reminiscing of the good ol’ days when they did their calculus homework. Get out there and have fun because these are some of the most important years of your life.
Make sure to have fun and enjoy it while it lasts! These next four years will fly by, and you are going to make memories that last a lifetime. So take nothing for granted, and try to make the most out of everything! Take risks, and put yourself out there!
What is the biggest Con about High School?
Personally, the workload can get a bit stressful. The roaches aren’t exactly a highlight either though.
Some of the work can be challenging, but if you pay attention in class and do the homework, you will be fine. There are resources and people to help you with whatever you need.