10 Common Myths You Need To Know About Freshman Year Of High School

High school can be quite a daunting and nerve-wracking experience, especially for freshman-year students. The switch from middle school to high school is a big change. It is common for students to be nervous about their first time in high school. What if you don’t know anyone? What if you can’t find your classes? 

In addition to that, due to movies and TV shows, there is a tonne of misunderstandings about being a freshman in high school that can make the process much scarier. These myths can lead to some added anxiety amongst freshman students, which can possibly be unnecessary. 

Hence, we are busting a few high school freshman myths in this blog to help your transition to high school be easier and more comfortable.

List Of Common High School Freshman Myths

With dreams and a bucket list, students enter the first year of high school- Freshman year. This year can be a crazy yet unforgettable year for the most of us. However, being clouded by some myths can make this year full of anxiety and apprehensions. Hence, it becomes imperative to eliminate the few myths that are commonly present in every transitioning student’s mind. 

1. Popularity is everything

In high schools, “popularity” is an often overused word. Unlike what they show you in movies like Mean Girls, in reality, there is no one elite group that runs the whole school and makes everything seem fun. So stop worrying about being popular, and find a group of friends with whom you can connect well and have fun.

2. Looks are the key

In many movies, high schools are often portrayed as a fashion show in itself. While it is true that people become more conscious about their style in high school, it is not the most important thing. Unlike popular belief, no one is going to pay much attention to your clothes. Your style or the brand of your clothing is not the key to your social life in high school.

3. Every weekend is a party

The fact with high school parties is that they’re not as common and regular as shown in popular culture. There is hardly any one big party in which the whole school is involved. Most of the time, there is nothing more to parties than a few groups of friends getting together informally. 

4. Freshman Friday

This probably is the biggest myth for every freshman in high school ever. But the Freshman Friday tradition is near its expiration today.  Bullying is not cool anymore, it’s hardly acceptable. Sure one or two bullies do exist,  but for the most part, your older schoolmates hardly have so much time for you! Don’t let the media’s exaggeration about it terrify you.

5. Joining clubs are for nerds

Freshman-year students frequently shy away from joining groups out of concern that they’ll come out as overly passionate about high school. On the contrary, clubs are a great channel to meet like-minded students who you can be good friends with. Your involvement in clubs can improve your communication abilities, encourage innovative thinking, and teach you how to work well with others.

6. High school friends are forever

It is an undeniable truth that the friends you made in school may not be for your entire life. This is because everyone has different aspirations and goals and some friends will likely move away for college or university after high school. Moreover, people change over time. All friends in a group don’t necessarily take the same path, have the same interests, or uphold the same ideals. 

7. You have till my senior year to worry about the SAT or ACT

Yes, standardized test results are only needed to get into college but the sooner you prepare for it, the better. In your final year, you often have multiple things to juggle around and spend time taking decisions about. The SAT should be taken as soon as feasible since it will offer you more time to prepare and retake the test for higher results.

8. High School years are the best time of your life

People like to say that high school has some of the best times of your life. But in reality, it can be quite confusing as it is a period of major change. Many people often struggle with trying to navigate their way through high schools and trying to figure out who they really are. As such, the high school experience may not always be pleasant for everyone.

9. There is always someone smoking/drinking in the school toilets

One popular image of high school students in movies and serials is of a bunch of tough-looking kids smoking or drinking in their high school bathrooms. Let me tell you, this is really rare! There may be one or two students breaking the school laws but in reality, it is not like they show in the movies.

10. You are free to select your subjects of choice

Although high schools do allow you greater freedom to choose your subjects of choice, in general, in freshman year you have to follow a general rule of which classes you have to enroll in. All high schools have a fixed group of subjects that all students must be enrolled in. It is only during your final years in high school, you get to choose your subjects of choice.  

Is Freshman The Toughest Year Of High School?

It is true that freshman year in high school is a big transition in every student’s life. Although some people might find that freshman year of high school is challenging, it is not the most difficult year in high school. Freshman year is typically the least important year in high school. It is that time that students usually spend getting acquainted with the new changes of high school and preparing for its academic rigor. This year sets the stage for the tougher high school years. 

The courses taught in freshman year is also easier than most courses taught in junior or senior year. Although high schools bring in a lot of homework and projects, but with proper time management, you can easily navigate through it all. It is usually in the junior year that homework becomes tougher, there are more and more projects, and students have to worry about the future. 

Students in freshman year do not have to worry much about the various tests that junior-year students have to go through. Instead, freshman students have the time to indulge themselves in extracurriculars of their choice, thus reducing academic pressure. However, if a student has not performed well in this freshman year, he/she may make up for it in later years. There are enough opportunities to make up for the underperforming student in the freshman year. 

At the same time, some extra support from the parents can help these kids manifolds, hence, following some tips and tricks for parents to make the year memorable and smooth for kids can be an ideal practice. 

Conclusion

Starting your freshman year can be intimidating, but once you get used to the changes, it isn’t that bad. In short, freshman year of high school is a time to get acquainted with the future academic rigour, not stress and worry about the future. High school is designed in such a way that each grade is a building block for the next. So while it might not be the most important high school year, it is equally important to do well in this year because it sets the stage for future success in life.