Freshman year: The start of your high school career, the year where everything changes, the beginning of the end.

The first year of high school is one of the most difficult years of your life, at least that’s what it has been like for me. The expectations are higher than ever, especially on the first day. Sweaty palms and butterflies invading your stomach are only the minor symptoms of first-day-itis. My stress levels were off the charts, and the worst part was I had no idea where any of my classes were. How am I supposed to know where anything is on my first day? If I had a dollar for every time I got lost then I would have about $75 (and counting), and it’s just too embarrassing to ask someone for help. What if they send you to wrong class? What if that person doesn’t know where they’re going?

After a couple of weeks, you learn your ways around the school and the people. Months later, you’re concerned with the more important things like will I ever get enough sleep or will I stay up all night trying to cram for the big test? Will I make the team or not? Will I ever have enough time to hang out with my friends and be social? You become less dependent on juice boxes and more dependent on coffee and energy drinks to get you through the week.

Now that I think about it, I’ve become less nervous and more confident as the years went by. So for all the incoming freshmen, I wish you a lot of luck because you’re going to need it. Your freshman year shapes the person you’re going to be for the rest of high school.