High School Freshman Advice: 20 Tips for 9th Graders

Starting high school can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whenever you begin something new, it’s important to feel as comfortable and confident as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of people ready to help during this transition. Teachers, parents, guidance counselors, and upperclassmen all have valuable advice for incoming high school freshmen. In this guide, you’ll find tips for navigating your first year with confidence so you feel prepared to take on new challenges.

High schools usually offer tours during the last few weeks of summer. Check your school’s website or call the admissions office to find out more. A tour can help settle your first day of school nerves. Find your classrooms and locker ahead of time so you can walk through the doors of your new school with confidence. Bring a copy of your class schedule, and practice walking to each class. Try opening your locker a few times until it’s easy. Repeat these exercises until you feel comfortable.

Know where your classes are so you can plan ahead and be on time. Being on time gives you the chance to settle in and relax before class starts. Start each class feeling prepared. Write down your class schedule and classroom numbers. Draw yourself a map if you need to.

Picking electives should be fun! Choose classes that pique your interest. Electives are a great way to realize what you do and don’t like. If you need help choosing classes, check out our article, What Classes Should You Choose?

Remember, if you take a wide range of classes during your freshman year, you’ll start figuring out what you like sooner. This could lead to a new hobby or even a future career! When filling out your class schedule ask yourself questions like: Do any of these classes relate to things I’m already interested in? What could be a good challenge for me?

During course selection, sit down with your high school guidance counselor to discuss your academic goals. If you’re interested in taking advanced courses, ask them about AP Classes and Their Passing Rates. If you’re planning on college after you graduate, you’ll want to learn more about Course Rigor and How It Can Help Your Admissions Narrative.

Your brain and body need proper nourishment to help you stay focused during the school day. Prioritize eating well and staying hydrated. This is one of the best tips for 9th graders!

The earlier you start this habit, the easier it will be to keep. As a high school freshman, make it part of your routine to eat balanced meals and stay hydrated. Pack your lunch or bring lunch money, along with a water bottle. If you are experiencing financial hardship, ask someone in the admissions office about options for financial assistance.

Sleep is incredibly important for high schoolers. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will help your body adjust so you get the most health benefits.

Sleeping well improves your mood and outlook on life as well as helps you focus on your schoolwork. Did you know your brain processes memories while you’re asleep? This is why going to bed early before a big test is so important.

Make a routine for yourself. Go to bed early. Challenge yourself to put away your phone an hour before bedtime to improve the quality of your sleep by limiting distractions.

Start setting goals now. Talk to your teachers and guidance counselors about college applications and what you’d like to do after high school during your freshman year. It’s good to start thinking about your goals for senior year and college admissions right away. This will help you feel more prepared during your senior year. Check out our article, How to Choose Your Dream College, for some additional guidance.

Your guidance counselor is there to help you succeed. Introduce yourself! After all, freshman year is full of challenges. Use your guidance counselor and the resources they provide in order to reach your goals. Schedule an appointment. Greet them in the hallway. Building a relationship with your guidance counselor early will only set you up for success!

Attendance counts. By attending all of your classes, you are giving yourself the best chance to succeed. Skipping classes is a bad habit, one you want to avoid, especially your freshman year! If you make a habit of missing classes, your teachers will become frustrated with you and you’ll fall behind in the material. Poor attendance may also affect your grade. So manage your time wisely, stay organized, and make time to hang out with your friends after school.

Homework prepares you for class. Not only does doing your homework help you get good grades, but it also helps you keep up with the material. You’ll be less likely to feel lost. And if you’re struggling, your teachers will be able to help you—you guessed it!—by looking at your homework.

Homework also helps you develop life skills. Like organization and time management. These skills take practice, so start out your high school experience strong by prioritizing your homework. Make a schedule for yourself. When do you feel most productive after school? Maybe you should do your homework as soon as you get home. Or maybe you need an hour or two to rest and refocus. Figure out what works best for you!

Study hall can be especially helpful during your freshman year. Take the extra time to organize yourself and get a head start on homework. At the beginning of your study hall, write a list of assignments due the next day. Pick out the assignment that feels most manageable at the moment and get started. Study hall is meant to be helpful, so use it! You’ll thank yourself at the end of the day when you have more time to relax and enjoy yourself.

Paying attention and practicing good listening skills will be helpful for the rest of your life. You’ll need these skills for future classes, jobs, and all of your relationships. Teachers notice and appreciate when students pay attention.

Practice good listening skills by facing forward and looking at your teacher while they’re speaking. Take notes and ask questions. Do your best to be engaged. Your teachers will think highly of you and be impressed by your dedication. And who knows, you may even decide to ask your teacher for a college letter of recommendation when the time comes.

It’s important to put your best foot forward and turn in your best work, especially for your first few assignments. This is especially important when you are meeting teachers you might take classes with again in the future. Make sure your first essay is the absolute best you are capable of. Give yourself extra time to study for your first quiz or test. Remember, teachers are human too and they make judgments. By turning in your very best work, especially in the beginning, your teachers are more likely to form a good opinion of you.

Class participation is very important. It shows that you’re listening, engaged, and caring about what the teacher is saying. Sometimes it is even a part of your grade. Class participation can feel awkward or scary at first, so start practicing your freshman year. Practice asking questions. This gives you a chance to practice public speaking in a way that feels less scary than giving a presentation. So practice from your seat. You’ll feel more comfortable and will gradually build more confidence. Class participation is also a great way to demonstrate leadership skills in high school.

Everyone wants to get good grades. It’s important to set goals and think about your high school GPA, especially for college applications. That said, bad grades aren’t the end of the world. Incoming freshmen have a lot to adjust to. A new school, new classes, new teachers, new friends, new responsibilities. Chances are, sometime during your freshman year, you’ll receive a bad grade. It’s important to know what to do next.

Use bad grades as a motivator. Ask your teacher what you can do to help yourself succeed. Your teacher is there to help students and will be impressed by your initiative. The most important thing is to not feel discouraged and to set goals for yourself as you move forward. For more information about freshman academics, check out our article, Do Colleges Look at Freshman Year?.

Try your best not to compare yourself to others. You are unique! Your talents and interests will be different from your classmates. You’ll wear different clothes and get different grades and take different classes and all of this is OKAY. It’s good!

There’s often a lot of pressure to compare yourself to others, especially when you’re doing something for the first time. During your freshman year, everything will be new!

High school can be stressful sometimes. There will be lots of things you want to do and some things you won’t want to do, but the point is, you’ll be busy! Try to enjoy your time. Comparing yourself to others can feel confusing…and it’s not good for your mental health. Use your time to focus on what you love instead.

It’s important to get involved, attend school events, and participate in extracurricular activities. Joining clubs and attending school events is a great way to make new friends. Besides, high school can be stressful, and having things to look forward to throughout the week can help you stay positive.

This year, challenge yourself to join clubs and participate in volunteer opportunities. You’ll learn new things and experience teamwork. If you find something you love as an incoming freshman, you’ll have three more years of it to look forward to! A lot of schools hand out fliers with a list of clubs. Go through the list and circle anything that seems interesting. Joining clubs is one of the most important freshman high school tips.

You’ll also want to start thinking about Summer Activities That Look Good On College Applications.