Starting high school is an overwhelming experience for any teenager. Whether you are coming from a middle school (grades six through eight) or a junior high school (grades seven through nine), there are many things about high school that are different from your old school environment, and you will experience many changes.

You will face navigating a new school, making new friends in an unfamiliar class and getting to know new teachers. These new teachers will usually have higher academic expectations than your middle and junior-high school teachers. They want to help you get into college; in return, they expect you to work hard and improve your skills. On top of all this, peer pressure to do drugs and alcohol and have sex often increases in high school.

Although these are all big changes, they are nothing you cannot handle. There are many different resources available to help you deal with any problems. Your teachers, counselors, doctors, parents and friends are there to help you transition into this great new time in your life. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to any of these people, there are many help hotlines you can call to talk anonymously. High school may be a time of change, but these changes should be for the better.

Your high school years are a great time in your life. You will gain new freedoms and have new experiences and new responsibilities. Many high school students get their drivers license when they turn 16 and gain a new type of independence.

However, other changes are less fun. To fully enjoy your high school experience, try to address the aspects of your life with which you are not happy. If you are feeling pressure to do something you feel is wrong, talk to a friend, parent or counselor to find a solution. If you are not succeeding academically, find a tutor or someone to help you improve. If you feel isolated socially, try to join a school club or group to make new friends.

High school may seem rather daunting at first, but with time, you will come to appreciate everything about your experience. High school student Virginia Phelps has included an account of her first days in high school below to give you a personal perspective of one student’s experiences and challenges.

One Student’s Perspective

Virginia Phelps, high school student writer

High school is a foreboding prospect for many eighth graders. After listening to all the horror stories ninth-grade friends told about their teachers, the idea of high school can be a little scary. When I got my schedule, I was horrified to find that I had been been placed in a drama class instead of my favorite class: chorus. I settled down and resigned myself to another school year when my friend told me I should at least ask to have the subject I wanted. What a concept!

Tentatively, I wrote to my advisor, who told me to e-mail the head of the arts department. Fearing for my academic future (and possibly my life), I wrote to the big head honcho of the arts department, and I survived. She wrote me back in a very nice way, but said she couldn't help me either. Instead, I was directed to the great and wonderful creator of schedules-- a benevolent fairy who dances about in our dreams, giving us four free periods a day and all the ideal classes and teachers we could imagine. (Ok, so maybe I'm the only one who dreams of school.)

This powerful woman was the one who could make all my scheduling dreams come true. I had to present my case in a clear, concise and convincing way. Should I go for the "I can't live without it?" argument? Maybe "I am a passionate young singer; you can make my dreams come true," would be more convincing? After not hearing back from her for a while, she finally e-mailed me to say she agreed! She changed my schedule!

The moral of this epic journey is don't be frightened by the tales you hear about your teachers. Let them make their own first impressions.

Besides, no matter what those ninth graders say, teachers aren't allowed to eat you.

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