Starting High School
By Mckayla, age 14, Canada
You're 14 years old, and it's the first day of grade 9. You're just about to enter high school. You're nervous and scared. What will everyone think of you? Who will your teachers be? Will you meet new people? These thoughts ran through my mind on the first day of high school.
High school is something everyone will have to go through. You'll go from being on the top of your elementary or middle school to being at the bottom of your high school. You'll meet new people and get new teachers. The rules will change, people will treat you differently, and you just might find your first love.
The main things that you'll have to deal with in high school are:
Classes
You'll have a different teacher for each class. You might go by semesters and have only 4 classes a day, or you might even have 4 classes one day, then 4 different classes the next! Each school runs differently. Make sure that you start the year off with confidence, and give your teachers a good impression. Hand in assignments on time, and follow the guidelines and expectations. Try your best to pass the courses.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure also takes place in elementary and middle school. Peer pressure is when people try to convince you to do something that you may not want to do, for example, doing drugs, skipping class, or even doing something more risky and dangerous. In high school some people feel pressured to do things they don't want to do to fit in. Peer pressure is probably more common in high school since there are a lot of students, and there might be more people involved with drugs. It's easy to say no. Don't feel discouraged.
Fitting In
Fitting in is also a big part of high school. Some people will stay with their old group of friends while others will strive to get new ones. Some kids feel they need to dress differently, change their personality, and change the people they hang out with to get into the group they want. I feel that everyone should just be themselves.
There are so many more things you'll have to deal with. Some are negative, some positive. I try to make my high school experience positive. High school isn't scary; it's supposed to be some of the best years of your life! So make the best of it and make the right choices.
