I really don’t recommend “fighting the power.” You have to choose your battles more carefully than that. Do question authority, but do it in a kind manner.
You will never have a better opportunity to be kind to others that are picked on. Speak up for them, but in a quiet way. Talk to them. Smile at them.
Don’t make assumptions about other people’s motives.
Teachers make mistakes. They have grumpy days and yes, some of them will take it out of their students. Forgive them.
Learn to laugh at yourself.
No honest question is stupid.
You will also have some teachers that are just pitiful. It won’t hurt to have your parent ask that you be placed in another class. If that doesn’t work, resolve to learn what the teacher can’t teach.
The best education comes from exploring your own thinking and feelings.
Riiiight! They are just there because the job is easy and pays so well…
I’m graudating in a few weeks, and although much of it is a blur, I’m going to tell you to try to fit in. Don’t be obedient to the point of stupidity, but if you just tell yourself that you will do your own thing, chances are, you will do it alone. It’s not very idealistic, and it’s not very admirable to think this way, I admit, but it is pragmatic. You need to survive before you can grow old and change the world.
You may be the type of person who can truly say “f*ck em all” and “I don’t care what others think,” but chances are you are not. People may say those things to themselves, but they are still bothered. A typical high school reaction to adverse events is: “I don’t care,” “I don’t care what he/she thinks,” “I don’t care that this happened,” etc, but chances are again that that person cares very much. Don’t lie to yourself and attempt to delude yourself into ignoring what’s happening around you, it will just cause more pain later on. Face up to what’s going on, and if making your life easier involves a slight wardrobe change, don’t automatically reject it. You are free to be your own creature outside of school and at home, but while you are there, be pragmatic and play the game.
Although, on the flip side, if people like you in your ‘natural form,’ go you.
Oh, yes.
Manage your time, join clubs, practice moderation, etc, etc, et cetera.
My backpack has one extra pocket (other than the main) and rarely has more than a pencil or two in that pocket, with books and calculator in the main cavity. I started off those four years ago with paper spiral notebooks, tab dividers, mechanical pencils, erasers, etc. Today I throw two black pens in my pocket, plus whatever may be in my backpack - I usually end up borrowing a pencil on the occasions that I need it. I suspect this is a personality thing, but distill it down to what you actually need.
Do the reading, go to class, find out all the rules before you do something, and know when to keep your mouth shut and save your hide. All the physical prowess in the world ain’t gonna help you if a teacher decides to make you the class whipping boy.
If you decide to use contraband (such as booze, drugs, etc) make sure there is someone around you who can take care of you if you mess up. Failing that, don’t mess with the stuff. Better to be bored and safe than extremely nervous and drunk 50 miles from nowhere. For example:)
Be nice to people. Most of them will be nice back, and the ones who aren’t will generally give some indication as to why that is (whether they mean to or not).
Keep your mind open to new stuff, but remember what got the old there in the first place.
The real world is tough, but you couldn’t drag me back to that.
Still, I have to emphasize what some others have said. Namely, get into some activities. Not only are they ways of getting to know more people and increase your reputation, but years later you’ll find they are some of your best memories because they were things you actually truly wanted to do as opposed to having to do them for school.
Figure out which teachers you can get along with and make friends with them. They - and you - will have to maintain a certain level of “professionalism,” but it is well worth it to have teachers who actually like you, will talk to you like a person, and can help you out of a jam. I’m still in contact with a couple of mine.
Ever so methodically, while you are a Freshman, learn what boundries are as far as “getting away with things.” As you go up the grades you’ll find that if you are good and know how to bend the rules without seriously overstepping your bounds, it makes life a lot easier.
Try not to make enemies. Your there for four years, you want to have a good time, just try and get a long with people. Don’t look down on someone because they’re a geek or because they get on with the cool kids. Just try to be a fun, interesting person and people will like you.
If you’re going to drink or do drugs, remember to do it sensibly. There’s a time and a place for these things. Don’t get caught. Don’t let it control your life. Do remember that you can have a drink or even a joint or two without you descending into drop-out territory, but don’t go overboard.
Don’t get too hung up on individuality - if you walk around all the time acting like you’re better than everyone else just because you don’t wear a brand name shirt, it pisses people off. Then again, don’t slavishly try to fit in, because it won’t work. People can smell a fake, and they don’t like it.
By all means, fight the power, but choose your battles. If you’re always complaining, no-one will listen to you, particularly if it’s about something that isn’t really important anyway.
I’m sounding all… adult here. Damn, I only left high school two years ago! You gotta believe me!
Don’t put up with other people’s bullshit, but don’t be so quick to fight them.
Respect your teachers.
Do your homework and study…this is really important, and if you slack on your schoolwork, you WILL regret it come time to look for college.
But, at the same time, don’t make studying your life. This is true of anything else (partying, girls, etc). Find a balance where you can get your school stuff completed, but still have time for friends and fun.
*Get involved with the things you like (and it doesn’t hurt to be well-rounded each year for college apps).
Take the PSATs, it is good practice.
Respect girls, and don’t “hit it and quit it” - you will get a reputation and many girls won’t want anything to do with you.
Let petty things people say roll off your back, it isn’t worth listening to.
Take the most challenging classes that you are capable of doing well in. If you’re struggling at a college prep level, do yourself a favor and don’t go to AP. But if you want to challenge yourself and know you can do it, go a little bit further. They look so good on college applications, and usually a C in an AP class is the GPA equivalent of an A in a CP class.
Speaking of classes, when it comes to extracurriculars, take the ones you like. If you’ve already got all your required classes out of the way, and you’re taking and have taken a few academic extracurriculars, go ahead and take Drama or Snakecharming 101.
Try not to get too involved in drugs or alcohol, especially on campus.
Remember that sports, cliques, and the girl you’re dating should not be an indicator of self-worth. If you don’t like sports, don’t play them. Cliques are for insecure idiots. And date the girl you want to, not just because she’s the prettiest or the one with the most notches in her belt.
Hey, Ryle Dup - you still there? BTW, love the name.
I think I can relate to your situation - I “dropped out” for three years and homeschooled, for no particular reason other than my parents and I wanted to try it. I went back to public school in 7th grade. yeeeeccchhh! That was misery. It took two years to actually find people to talk to me. Know why? Middle schoolers are mean. So I went through two years being a lonely creature, and decided that once I got to high school, things would be different.
I smiled. I joked around. I joined every club I thought was worth my time. I did things with confidence to show I was proud I was doing them. I worked hard in my classes. I talked to my teachers. And lo and behold, people started to realize “that weird home-schooling girl” wasn’t so weird after all. I was once told that there wasn’t anyone who couldn’t be my friend, and I took that as one of the greatest compliments ever. My circle of friends included cheerleaders and football players, class officers and band members. It was a blast. I loved high school.
Everyone so far has given great advice that I won’t rehash, so I’ll offer this - don’t panic. If you go into high school with sweaty palms and an “Everyone’s going to hate me” attitude, they just might. Be confident, laugh at yourself, and know with every fiber of your being that you’re going to have a great time. People will be attracted to you like flies to honey
I’m amazed at how many people have mentioned drugs and drinking. Is it really that bad in High School? None of my friends or myself touched that stuff until well after graduation (years for me).
I know (through rumors) that some of it went on in my school, but I never took any notice of it, never saw any of it, and certainly was never pressured into any of it. The closest I ever got was being offered a cigarette one absolutely frigid morning.
I’m still here and I sincerely appreciate all the advice and welcomes. All the replies here have made me anticipate going into school in the fall, seems exciting.
There’s a lot of drugs in my high school. Mostly just cigarettes and marijuana, but I suspect there’s stronger drugs being passed around some groups. However, it’s not very obvious and the peer pressure isn’t too bad. I was offered a cigarette once, but nobody cared when I turned it down.
The situation is more like everyone knows about it, but they don’t see it. You can easily avoid it if you want, so it’s not quite as bad as some people in the school like to say.
Gorgon, it was that bad where I went. I can count on one hand the number of people in my dorm who didn’t smoke anything, drink or do any other drugs. Maybe 10% of the entire school didn’t do anything.
Everyone I knew in High School smoked, drank, or did drugs (or a combination thereof) on a regular basis. Everyone. I’m not saying everyone in the school, but everyone I was familiar with. I graduated in '98, FWIW.
It certainly is that bad, though like Jess said, most people couldn’t care less if you do them or not. Even more staggering is the amount of people who participate in sexual activities.
Drugs! They’re everywhere!
… No, really. My little bro got offered stuff in middle school, and it just continues. I live in the capital of suburbia, too.
Sex! It’s everywhere!
… No, really. My little bro again, got it offered in middle school, and people are f***ing like rabbits in high school too. No really, some IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
As of the end of his freshman year, he’s partaken in weed, booze, and sex. Although none of it mixed, I think. Oh, remind me to beat that girl, btw.
And yes, there are people who don’t do any of it, and yes, I did all three of the same by the end of my senior year, but that was my senior year, a far cry from my freshman year!
Lynne, you just reminded me of a couple I knew in high school who actually listed (on their senior pages) all the places on campus where they’d had sex. The yearbook staff didn’t find out about it, and I only know because a friend of theirs told a few people when one of us asked. Funny stuff!
My high school was affectionately known as the “pothead school” from all the others around here (while at the same time, it was offering the highest quality of education, but I digress). Yeah, it was everywhere, but I managed to get through the whole four years without drinking, smoking, or doing drugs. Sex was my choice, and looking back it was stupid stupid stupid, but it was something I did for me, not my reputation.
My point is that if you don’t want to, then don’t. Unless you go to an evil high school straight out of a teenage-angst movie, there are, in fact, popular kids who don’t do all those things. And while they’re NOT a good idea, it is possible to do that sort of thing every once in a while and be normal. Whatever you do, though, stand by your principles on the matter, try not to be a hypocrite, and don’t be judgmental of those who disagree.
A lot of people from my high school smoked (tobacco). Many of my friends did. I tried once, didn’t like it and from then on wasn’t pressured to, much the same way a smoker at your workplace wouldn’t pressure you to smoke.
There were very few people who hadn’t drunk at my high school by the time we finished. Drinking was widespread and by year 12, pretty much everyone was doing it, whether it was the derros or the super-good kids.
Drugs usually didn’t go past pot, although I know a few kids who tried crack. This was rare, though, and I never came into contact with it. I know other kids who tried LSD, but that was the extent of it. They told me it was like your brain being put into a frying pan, and that they wouldn’t be doing it again for a while though. They seemed to like it though, and I remember one girl tripping telling me about the lion in the sky that she could see.
As far as pot goes, it was also widely used, mostly at parties, and I think a lot of people tried it, though not nearly as many as the number of people who drunk. It really wasn’t a big deal, although some people were a little silly - some guys who smoked in a lane half a block away from the school and another guy who lit up a bong outside the science staffroom (he was caught).
People had sex. I would guess that most people had lost their virginity by the time they left high school.
There were drugs freely available, but peer pressure is over-rated. In my experience, if you say no, people will respect your decision.
Oh yea, there was no peer pressure at my school (seriously) and if you didn’t smoke or drink or do drugs, there was none of the “C’mon, everyone’s doing it” from bad 80s Afterschool Specials. It was more like “Hey, wanna beer? Alright, they’re there if you need them.”
But it was everywhere. If you wanted it, you could do it.
No pressure for me, but definately some for my younger brother, I don’t know why this is. It may or may not be the testosterone, it may or may not be he’s more popular than I am. We’re a lot alike, and I just can’t figure it out. I do know he gets hassled about his weight. (He looks fine. One of my friends is crushing on him. I’m all “no!”) Maybe the freshmen are just fiends.
