Surviving high school is a hard feat. But surviving the first month is even tougher. 

Primarily, you have to know that you’re the future of this high school. You are bound to become a great person, talented in the area of expertise in which you specialize.

So, let me give you some blind sappy inspiring stuff and say this: you’re worth it. March into our school and be proud! You’re strong, you’re ready, and you’re you. Have a little confidence, freshmen.

I’m not going to go all generic on you and say, “Do your homework,” or “Work hard to achieve your dreams.” Nuh-uh. 

Instead of working your back off and complaining about sleep in the morning, take it easy on yourself. Work smart. Don’t blindly obey, but think for yourself and do what you believe is right. 

Being cunning is a nice trait to have, but it takes longer to cultivate and master. Manipulate, change and work around the difficulties with shrewd accuracy. I promise it’ll all work out in the end. 

I know, stress is annoying and an absolute pain when you’re actually trying to get some sleep and do other homework for alternate classes. 

How does a normal freshman go through stress? I’ll be the worst person in the world and say there’s really no solution. You just have to get used to it. 

I’ve tried most techniques out there, but as all the upperclassmen will tell you, you’ll adapt to it. Don’t let stress beat you up, but beat it up instead. 

You’ll find your own techniques to beat stress, but until that time comes, don’t fret and just study for your tests without losing sleep. 

Do your homework. Oh, never mind. I promised not to mention that one. But seriously, if you don’t do your homework, I will tattoo a big fat F on your forehead. 

Make friends, freshmen. You will never ever survive without one trustworthy friend to have your back. 

I guarantee that you will not survive the first quarter without one friend in each class. It’s an absolute bummer when you don’t know anyone in your class to bond over how dumb the “icebreaker” thing you teacher just assigned.

Do the least amount of work necessary to get an A. You’re stressed, tired, and most likely wanting to eat something junky and bad for your health. 

I understand. No kidding, I’m probably sitting in front of a computer screen typing out another essay while candy wrappers surround me. 

Strive for an A, but remember failure is part of the learning experience. I know, you want to be exceptional, but remember, you have your whole life ahead of you. 

You are talented. You are strong, and instead of killing yourself over that 95 percent, maybe you can help less fortunate to reach your level. It’s OK. 

You’re there, and even if you aren’t there yet, you’ll get there. One mistake or more doesn’t define the capability of your talents. 

Be satisfied with what you have and, yes, most people would want more. I encourage you to go for it if you’re not stressed. Don’t give into the peer pressure and take your own path. If you think an A is enough, then it is. 

High school is truly a battle for survival, and only the people who have confidence and work smart get the things they really want. 

If you, the reader, think about it, high school isn’t just about survival or competing against your teammates. It’s really competing against yourself. It’s a constant drive to become more, someone better, someone stronger. After all, that’s what makes us the youngest and the smartest of the bunch, right? 

We’re freshmen, and let’s be proud of it.