High school always seems years away but when you blink, you will find yourself there. On the outside, you might act all cool and calm but high school is a big change and you need to be ready. Whether you are going to a small private high school or a big public one, you will encounter new challenges and expectations.

With a little advice and preparation, you will be ready to face your first year in high school. Here are some tips for surviving your first year of high school:

Get a Map of Your School

As silly as this seems, you do not want to walk into the wrong class on your first day: this could be a recipe for disaster. You can get a map from your school’s website and if there isn’t one, you can always find a map on Google. At the start of each semester, you should take your class schedule and highlight the routes from your locker to your classes.

If you cannot stop at your locker in between classes to find the right books, you should consider carrying all the books with you. This map will come in handy in the first few days but after that, you will know your way around.

Join a Sport or Club

The best way to make new friends is by joining a sport or club. Moreover, having an extracurricular activity on your college application will make it more appealing. Before you decide which club or sport you should join, you need to attend the informational meetings and check everything out first. You never know, you might end up liking something that you never thought you would.

If you want to join cheerleading, you should let your parents know in advance so that they can include costumes such as cheer skirts in the budget.

Know Your Locker Number and Combination

You do not want to open another person’s locker on your first day of your freshman year – you could end up being the butt of the joke. You can either memorize the numbers or write them on your hand until you have them in your head. Nowadays, you can even put the numbers down in your phone to make them easier to find.

If possible, you should take all the books that you need for the day to avoid wasting time in between classes. Moreover, you do not want to be the last person to arrive in class on the first day of school.

Take Control of Your Life

The first year of high school is when you will start figuring out what you like and what your interests are. If you fail to get organized and manage your time, you will end up being confused and lonely. You should take advantage of the summer and use it to take responsibility and organize your life.

If you want, you could volunteer or start a part time job. Make sure that you get a good planner and organize your class subjects. Do not wait until the last minute to do homework and keep up with your classes. If you need help, you should not be afraid to approach your teachers and fellow students.

Broaden Your Views While Remaining True to Yourself

As a high school student, you might start to question your beliefs. However, you need to ask questions and remain close to those who love you whenever you find yourself doubting your fundamental beliefs. Movies and TV portray a side of high school that does not really exist.

You should not conform to this stereotype just because you think others are doing it. You need to remain true to yourself if you want people to love the real you. Pretending to be somebody that you are not will only attract fake friends who will never know the real you. If you love playing soccer, you should join the soccer team instead of doing something because the cool girls are doing it.

High school is a walk in the park for some people but for others, it is a version of hell. The above tips will help you to keep your head above water and survive life in high school.