Welcome back, Patriot Nation! Even though it is estimated to be a whopping 94º on the first day back, fall ushers in the beginning of another great year. The muddle of schedules, first day outfits, and the echoes of “Where do I sit at lunch?” taunting you may be overwhelming, but to ease the back-to-school scaries, here are my top tips to make the 2023-24 school year the best one yet.

Freshmen:

#1: Download Saturn on your phone.

In the midst of getting lost finding G-hall, holding your printed out bell schedule can be a lot. By uploading your schedule to the app Saturn, it will map out your schedule in an easy-to-read format; the app will even send you notifications about where you are headed next during the day!

#2: Don’t be afraid to say yes!

September alone already offers so many of my favorite FTHS traditions, like the Battle for the Duke (Freehold Township v. Freehold Boro) football game, Homecoming, and more! Take the leap and go to the Friday Night Lights football games, hang out with friends at the HoCo tailgate, and more of the quintessential high school events.

#3: Get involved.

Township has an array of clubs, sports, and organizations to get involved with throughout the year. Getting involved with opportunities that come your way is one of the best ways to explore your interests, make new friends, and build that resume of activities.

Sophomores:

#1: Chemistry? More like Chem-Is-Try.

My chemistry teacher sophomore year told me this the first week and I laughed. But then we got to nuclear stability two weeks later. I wasn’t laughing then. Almost every sophomore takes Chemistry, so if science is either your forte or your mortal enemy, you can succeed in the class! Trust. I am no STEM girl myself, but taking notes in class, going to extra help before school, and doing practice questions before major assessments helped with the learning curve that I had to adapt to.

#2: Avoid procrastination.

Cliché, but trust me. Especially with tip #2, the work begins to build sophomore year. If I am ever feeling unmotivated to work, I set a timer on my phone for 10-15 minutes and tell myself that I have to work diligently for that amount of time. If I want to pause after the timer sounds off, I can, but I oftentimes get in the zone and continue with my task.

#3: Challenge yourself!

You have one year of high school under your belt, so you know the lay of the land. In your activities, academics, and friend circles, make goals for yourself. Consider the format of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) when planning out your steps. Take the leap and talk to the quiet kid in your math class, go for the club leadership position, study for the higher PSAT score – any goal that pushes you out of your comfort zone will make the process rewarding.

Juniors:

#1: APs don’t have to be impossible to tackle.

Not only are the AP teachers at FTHS fantastic, but there are so many other resources at your fingertips to make learning and review more successful. A quick Google search can lead you to the official College Board Course and Exam Description (CED), great practice tests, unit reviews, and more (shoutout to Heisler’s History for APUSH! Much love.).

#2: Take care of yourself.

Junior year doesn’t get its reputation for nothing. The tornado of academics, clubs, your social life, and more can chip away at your mental health – we have all been there. While all-nighters and skipping breakfast to get that one history paper done seems like a good idea in the moment, you can’t be present in school 100% mentally and physically without a recharge. I wish I prioritized sleep and regular three meals, so if you take anything from this, sleeeeeeeeppppp! Eat breakfast! It’s good for you!!!!!

#3: You have to start thinking about THE C-word.

Scary. I know. If you are planning to apply to colleges and universities your senior year, doing your school and application research now will be key. Plan your SAT schedule, keep up with your grades and activities, research schools and majors you might be interested in, and have conversations with your family about what safeties, targets, and reaches are good for you.

#4 (Bonus!): Parking on campus is not worth it.

Point blank. As more of your class gets their license and shiny new car, the street parking for juniors becomes more scarce. Is it really worth getting to school at 6:45 for a spot in the front? Nope. If that early morning grind is something you end up doing, more power to you, I guess.

Seniors:

#1: Organize those supplementals and due dates!

Again, if you are applying to a number of different colleges, make a Google Document, spreadsheet, Notion tracker, or any other log of the different writing prompts you have to respond to, as well as any other important application information. It’s nice to cross a task out or tick a checkbox after all of that writing.

#2: Work on that parking job.

The ghost of seniors past have reminded us that it pays to be a good parker. Painted lines aren’t a suggestion 🙂

#3: Look forward to the future but enjoy the present.

To be frank, I feel ill-equipped to be giving unsolicited advice to seniors as a current rising senior (I found this tip off of the first search result for “advice for seniors in high school” on Google), but this is a mantra that all students should listen to, freshman or senior. It’s easy to be caught in the chase for academic or social validation (I’m a repeat offender to this), but there has to be a balance between ambition and carpe diem (and I’m working on this!). Trust the work you have put in the past for years, but do not forget the great friends and fun moments that you are currently living through.