Being a freshman kind of sucks.

You’re used to being the top of the school and now you are the absolute bottom. Maybe you expected high school to be like a rom-com 80’s movie or the stereotypical early 2000’s scene with drama at every plot twist; I certainly did. But after a couple of months, you’re most likely starting to realize it’s neither of these; it’s just school.

School may be harder with a lot more people than you’re used to. We’re already a couple of months in, so everyone has gotten a feel for how their classes might go. Your first year of high school isn’t going to be great, but it probably won’t be the hardest. You can make this year a lot easier if you listen to these handed-down, tried-and-true tips that you’ve probably heard before:

Talk to your teachers. You might miss an off period but Starbucks will still be there. Your teachers have hundreds of students everyday, and most likely you are not their sole focus. Sorry. If you have a C you are unsure about, don’t wait until after the semester is over, you will just make your teacher mad when you finally get around to telling him or her that they graded your paper wrong.

If you don’t understand something, go into their department office during your off and talk to anyone that will help, it doesn’t have to be your teacher. Get help so you can understand the concept so you know it for the test. I’m sure you’ve heard all of these pointers before, but I promise, find the process that works for you and you’ll make your high school career easier.

At most middle schools, your teachers knew you personally but now there are so many students that you’re lucky if they can address you by name. Now don’t get me wrong, these teachers care, they care about you and if you are failing their class. But with over 500 students a day and less off hours then you, no wonder they can’t give specialized attention.  If you never talk to your teachers, don’t expect them to talk to you about your grades, it’s not their problem.

Being a freshman has its hardships, I can attest to that.There’s multiple ways to make your time in high school easier: stay on top of your school work, develope a good group of friends, and make sure you don’t put too much pressure on yourself. High school is tough, but the real world can only get tougher, so enjoy these next four years.