There's a lot of debate around the internet these days about becoming freshmen. With school just around the corner, up comming freshmen are a little nervous about what to wear/how to act/what to say/etc.. I'm going to be a Junior this year, and I can safely say I've seen it all in the past two years (from being a helpless little freshman to watching poor little girls try too hard). So, I've devised this list to try and help you out a little dear freshman, and I hope it works.
What to wear:
1) You don't want to go over-the-top with piles and piles of accesories, make up, and bright colors/sequins/sparkles because it simply screams I'M-NEW-AND-I'M-TRYING-TOO-HARD. Of course this clashes with your desire to make a statement, but here's the thing. You need to be able to make a statement with your own abilities, or your own style. Wearing something that you wouldn't normally wear just leaves everyone with a fake impression about you. You ARE going to stay up cramming at night and you'll end up showing up at school looking vastly different. Add a small statement piece to an anotherwise 'totally-you'-outfit. Maybe a new scarf, or bold bangles, or a printed skirt, make it your own.
2)Consider the fact that you are going to be doing a lot of walking on your first day when picking a shoe.
3)Wear a watch. You really don't want to be late for class on your first day, if it happens it happens, but stay alert.
What to say:
1) Maybe you'll get lucky and you won't have one of those teachers that tell you to introduce yourself infront of the whole class, but I wasn't that lucky. Every teacher that I had asked me to introduce myself, talk about my previous school, etc.. If you are asked to do this, then keep it consice and clear. Raise your voice with confidence (even if you have to fake it), and give a small smile when you're finished. If the teacher cracks a small joke after you say something either think of a witty remark or smile and say nothing at all.
2) If you have some annoying teacher who chooses to begin his/her class immediately, don't be afraid to ask them questions. No it's not 'nerdy'.
How to Act:
1)Hold your head high and walk with confidence, don't slouch.
2)Don't gape at anyone. And don't point and whisper at anyone, not even other freshmen.
3)Compliment people. No I don't mean in the creepy way or anything, but pay someone a compliment about their backpack/tee/style/etc.. It's a good conversation starter.
4)Be Classy. Don't chew gum with your mouth open, don't show your underwear, don't curse too much.
Final Tips:
It's nice to decorate your locker with mementos and things that make you smile. That will brighten up any day.
Follow the rules regarding phones/iPods/cameras. You are really better off safe than sorry.
Do not bitch about people.
Do not form opinions about people from your first day/week because you really never know.
Keep your make up light, if you choose to wear make up at all. You will be sweating/running around/walking all over the place all day long so you really dont want anything cakey.
Do not tell anyone that you have a pack of gum. It'll be finished before you can blink.
Don't compare yourself to the seniors/juniors. They've been here longer, they're entitled to more things.
Do not get into anything shady through peer pressure. Don't drink underage, or smoke because it's cool. Sure you hear this all the time, but you never really know where you'll find the temptation and you have to know where your boundries/limits are.
If you do have a problem with bullies, report it. If talking to the bully doesnt work, go ahead and find the guidance councellor. It's not a 'little girl' act or anything. Being bullied really does eat away at your confidence and it affects you to your core, so if something is not right and you can't resolve it yourself speak up.
Finally, just be yourself.
Bad yearbook photos are inevitable, so don't feel bad if you look like Kermit.
So, what can you add?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
My Girly Guide To Freshman Year
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I do agree with the watch thing. Especially so you can prove that you are NOT late (when you actually aren't) and that their clock is fast. I'll chip in my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteTHE TOUGH GIRL'S GUIDE TO FRESHMAN-LINESS!
Do your homework during study hall/break. If it's noisy, listen to your headphones. Don't ever give your headphones up to anybody, student or otherwise. If you do, you won't get them back. When you're done with homework keep your headphones on since you really only need lunch to socialize.
Oh, and while you're at lunch, don't be a wimp and eat in the bathroom or library. If you're entirely new to the school district, just sit by someone you've talked to in a previous class and resume whatever conversation it was that you had or ask "Hey (insert name), what's good to eat around here?" If you get booted out of the table, tell them off, take all the empty chairs you can and make your own lunch circle because you're so cool that you don't even need a table to eat. This will get peoples' attention. Then you can casually invite onlookers to sit with you. Bonus points if the people in question were originally from the table you got booted out of. Look, you now have a lunch group. It's not hard, it just takes a bit of courage and creativity.
Don't let other people bully your friends or anyone you associate with (that includes anyone you sit near on break, lunch or in classes). If you let bullies get away with bull&#@! just because it's not you who they're targeting, you'll be next. Don't ask me why, but those kinds of troublemakers like to just go for whomever is nearby...until of course someone gives them a taste of their own medicine (and you may have to break a few small rules to do that). Yeah, they might have a vendetta on you for the remainder of the year, but as long as you don't play into their little game, they won't bother you for the next 4 years, if ever.
Also on the bully note, know thy enemy...er...at least know the first and last names of all the troublemakers. If you tell the principal, "the guy in the blue Southpole shirt stuffed me in my gym locker," the principal is automatically going to punish the dude with the longest track record, regardless of whether or not s/he can corroborate your testimony. And that dude will totally remember that *you* accused him wrongly, when really it wasn't your fault to begin with. I don't know why this case of mistaken identity happens. I guess adults just don't pay enough attention.
When you're in class, just shut up. You don't even have to pay attention if you don't want to. (But you will learn something if you do, even if it's that your overly-excited biology teacher cannot pronounce fructose properly or that your sniffling Spanish teacher is stealthily teaching you cuss words as a mnemonic to remember basic vocabulary or proper gender use.) Why do you need to shut up in class? Because NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR MISERABLE WHINING. Especially your classmates who are loathing the class as much as you are. Instead of whining in class, start up a conversation with a complaint about the last class you had (make sure the person you start it with is also bored out of their skull in said class or you may be told on). Yeah, it's negative, but it's a great way to break the ice in order to gain allies...er, study partners.