So, just graduated 8th grade. Any tips?

[quantum mechanic]

Re: high school advice
Take honors and AP/IB classes. Try to go outside your comfort zone, make new friends, get into new activities, that sort of thing. Get stupid requirements (like, say, Health) out of the way before your senior year. Join a club. Study hard but make time for having fun as well.

Re: the many people saying that college is easy
This is sort of true. You definitely don't spend as much time in class, but much more of your grade is based on tests, so you need to put in a lot of time outside of class to make sure you understand and can apply everything in the textbook and everything that the professor says. Taking honors/AP/IB classes in high school and learning how to study and work efficiently is very important; good preparation is what makes college "easy," not the nature of the school.

Good luck!

 

[bombadilillo]

Me and everyone I know, barely remember high school. Its not the most important time of you life. Popularity means jack all. Make some true friends you will keep and forget everyone else.

Also, very few people marry their highschool sweetheart and have it end well. Phycologically the personality isnt set till about 25 (and changes throughout life) but you WILL NOT be the same person in Highschool or even College that you are in real life. So date your little heart out, but try to remember your a big ball of hormones.

 

[conflictofinterests]

Don't do drugs or smoke or drink (obvious reason).

Not too obvious.

They may look cool to some people, but they'll a) detract from your spending money, b) lessen the amount of time you can fully devote to school, c) potentially ruin your health, d) potentially kill you pretty quickly (in the case of alcohol and some drugs, especially in large quantities. If you black out, you've gone about a mile past too far), e) make things that were NEVER a good idea seem pretty nifty (This can range in severity from kissing an ugly person, to impregnating a woman, to contracting an STD, to leaving someone who just drank themselves under the table to "sleep it off" (That's how people die of alcohol poisoning))

 

[Klarinette]

Study hard. (dur. )
Make friends. (also dur.)
Try to do as much extra-curricular stuff as possible (sports, artistic things like writing or drawing)
Figuring yourself out is gonna be tough but you'll work it out eventually.
Until you're sure of yourself, try to keep it just to the few people that you know you can trust, rather than stereotype yourself in the first few days with a new peer group.

Oh, and give almost everyone a second chance.

Pretty much this. The only thing I'd add is that, the first couple times you think you've figured out who you are and what you're about, you probably haven't, so don't settle on any set ideas... it's likely to change. That really doesn't come until your earlier twenties.

 

[conflictofinterests]

Re: high school advice
Take honors and AP/IB classes. Try to go outside your comfort zone, make new friends, get into new activities, that sort of thing. Get stupid requirements (like, say, Health) out of the way before your senior year. Join a club. Study hard but make time for having fun as well.

Re: the many people saying that college is easy
This is sort of true. You definitely don't spend as much time in class, but much more of your grade is based on tests, so you need to put in a lot of time outside of class to make sure you understand and can apply everything in the textbook and everything that the professor says. Taking honors/AP/IB classes in high school and learning how to study and work efficiently is very important; good preparation is what makes college "easy," not the nature of the school.

Good luck!

Yeah, a lot of figuring out exactly how much leeway you have in getting stuff done is learned in honors/advanced placement classes. College prep gives way too much busy work to actually require learning your limits, but at some point when you have a full course load of Advanced Placement classes, you'll have to figure out what you can let slide so you don't go insane of sleep deprivation. Your mileage will vary from teacher/teaching style to teacher/teaching style, but the basics of getting by with an A or B will always be there with you.

Also, with a new teacher, it's always best to prepare for the first test/midterm/whathaveyou like you think you're going to fail the class if you don't pass it. It's a good way to gauge how much effort you're going to need, and it's a lot easier to keep a grade acceptable than it is to pull it up from abysmal.

 

[Jamash]

This must be a cultural thing, but would somebody mind enlightening me as to what the typical age of someone just becoming a 9th grader is? You say high school, which makes me think of when we started high school over here when we were either 12 or 13.

I'm puzzled by this too. According to his profile he was born in 1986, which would make him 24.

I'm guessing that it's either some kind of private school or academy with just one continuous system, where each grade lasts 2 years so what would be University to us is actually just the 9th Grade, either that or he's a bit slow.

 

[Goofguy]

Take it from someone in 12th grade; In a matter of years you will look back on yourself as you are now and think "I was a bit retarded, but at least I got better grades than I do now".

Take it from someone who graduated three years ago from college with a degree in engineering, you'll feel ^this exact way while studying your ass off until 2 in the morning in your dorm room.

 

[FinalHeart95]

Take classes you're interested in when possible. Obviously you need your English, math, and sciences, but with electives make sure you're really interested in what you're studying. Not only will you enjoy yourself more, but you have no IDEA how much it improves your grades when you're actively interested in a subject. For example, I despised Bio and barely scraped by with an A even though it was a pretty easy course. Chemistry, on the other hand, is much more difficult. I have a solid 5% increase from last year, even though the course is more difficult, just cause chem is awesome! I suppose this applies a lot more in college because you have more course choices there, but it works in high school too.

Oh, this is where those who don't study bite the dust. Freshman year maybe not, but it's called a "sophomore slump" for a reason. Study, study, study. I cannot emphasize this enough. My school has half days on the last week of school during finals. These are in place for a reason. STUDY.

As far as social life, those tend to develop via extracurricular activities. My main friends came from band and my youth group. So I suggest joining clubs and sports, and making friends that way. On that note, be very careful of WHO you become friends with. You think peer pressure is an easy thing to just shoot down, it really isn't. "Just say no"... yeah, right. Much easier to cut things off before they have a chance to begin.

 

[conflictofinterests]

This must be a cultural thing, but would somebody mind enlightening me as to what the typical age of someone just becoming a 9th grader is? You say high school, which makes me think of when we started high school over here when we were either 12 or 13.

It was also never called a graduation. In the real world, you don't get to officially graduate from anywhere unless you've spent at least 2 years in further education. Usually by slipping your finished coursework under your tutors door an hour after the final deadline and hoping for the best....

9th grade is about 14-15, high school is 4 years until you reach about 18. Junior high is the 2 or 3 years before that depending on the school system, and elementary school is Kindergarten (about 5) to either 10-11 or 11-12. We graduate high school, but a lot of Junior highs are implementing their own graduation. I don't know why.

Poster is probably a troll. Oh well.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Advice for a former 8th grader? Grow up, go to high school, remember you're actually pretty stupid, meet a girl/boy, have your heartbroken, sleep through class, try not to piss yourself, and remember, if you're suffering a bit and going through some existential angst, you're doing it right. Do not let these be the best four years of your life, but they should be fairly awkward and annoying and not always fun. The more you suffer here, the more fun you have in college.

Oh, and, don't knock someone up/get knocked up. Always be safe, whatever that means for you, unless your goal is a baby.

 

[AstylahAthrys]

If people are being jerks, just ignore them. High Schoolers will make drama about anything and everything so don't let yourself get drawn in. People will lie to you and make fun of you, but often you will not be at fault for anything. So don't let any of it get to you.

If you do that and get good grades, you will be pretty set.

 

[Coranico]

Step 1: Graduate the 9th grade

There is no step 2, until operation 10th grade begins.

 

[Flaming Narwhal]

Also, I'm wearing an awesome tuxedo.

You already care more about it then anyone I know. Having just graduated the Ninth, let me tell you this: It will be hell. No kidding. They actually make you fight a vampire for class orintation.

This is true actually. It was pretty intense.
I just finished ninth myself so I feel I can give you some advice.

1. You're going to fuck up if you don't study. No matter how much of a pain it is, study for a test (unless it's Health; cheat on the test then, it's health).
2. Midterms and finals are waaaay more important than any of the bullshit your friends are doing, unless they're also studying.
3. The upperclassmen HATE or are ambivalent to you until you earn their respect (for me it involved getting punched in the face and not taking it like a *****).
4. Everything they told you about weed is a lie. Experiment a little.
5. Even if the teacher is an ass, just do the work. My afternoon classes were taught by incompetents but I still got by.
6. You're not nearly as smart as you think you are, but neither is anyone else.
7. Get you learner's permit for driving as soon as possible.
8. If the class isn't required, fuck that class...unless you're interested in it.
9. All that stuff you hear about drama happening is a lie. People make their own, it doesn't just happen.
10. It's going to be REALLY boring; have ways to get through class.
11. These are NOT the best years of your, so no matter how shitty things are now, they can get better if you take the initiative.
Good luck, I hope you enjoy it.
If it makes you feel any better it beats the hell outta middle school. Seriously.

 

[MetaMuffin]

Highschool is really simple.

-School should generally come first, in other words get your grades to where you want them before focusing on other activities.
-Make new friends. Join clubs, sports, anything you might be interested in to expand your horizon...I wish I'd tried more things in highschool and been more adventurous. Don't miss this opportunity, as highschool has a shit ton of things for you to try out.
-Relax. It's really not that big of a transition. Think of it as going from 8th grade to 9th grade, not from junior high to highschool. Keep everything in perspective; life will go on even if Sally breaks your heart and becomes a huge whore.

That's all there is to it. Try not to be annoying, as most freshmen are so desperate to fit in and be cool it's painfully obvious to the above grades. Just be yourself and people will probably like you.

Oh, and don't fall into a bad crowd. Don't smoke weed or drink until college/senior summer. There's a time and place for everything, and that place is college.

 

[Agayek]

Just like the headline said. Less than an hour ago, I was sitting on a stage being formally promoted from 8th grader to a 9th grader.
So. Now that that's out of the way. What do I need to know about high school?
I'm really bad about procrastination, so I need tips for that, too. But please, any helpful advice is welcome.

Also, I'm wearing an awesome tuxedo.

High school is much less dramatic and exciting than Hollywood and culture in general leads you to believe. Find some people you get along with and it'll go fairly smoothly.

There's a few recommendations I'd give you though:
First, don't take shit from anyone. New social environments tend to encourage people to behave like jackasses, especially teenage boys. If they think they can walk over you, they will, so don't let them.

Second, you can safely ignore 98.99% of the gossip you hear. It's all either ridiculously overblown/exaggerated, or flat out lies. This generally applies more to the girls, but boys will do it as well.

Finally, never, ever leave your locker or bags open and unattended. That's begging to either be robbed or pranked, depending on your environment.

Beyond that, you'll be fine. I would also recommend to not bother yourself about the "popularity race" that inevitably happens, but you may actually enjoy that, I don't know.

 

[Flaming Narwhal]

Just like the headline said. Less than an hour ago, I was sitting on a stage being formally promoted from 8th grader to a 9th grader.
So. Now that that's out of the way. What do I need to know about high school?
I'm really bad about procrastination, so I need tips for that, too. But please, any helpful advice is welcome.

Also, I'm wearing an awesome tuxedo.

High school is much less dramatic and exciting than Hollywood and culture in general leads you to believe. Find some people you get along with and it'll go fairly smoothly.

There's a few recommendations I'd give you though:
First, don't take shit from anyone. New social environments tend to encourage people to behave like jackasses, especially teenage boys. If they think they can walk over you, they will, so don't let them.

Second, you can safely ignore 98.99% of the gossip you hear. It's all either ridiculously overblown/exaggerated, or flat out lies. This generally applies more to the girls, but boys will do it as well.

Finally, never, ever leave your locker or bags open and unattended. That's begging to either be robbed or pranked, depending on your environment.

Beyond that, you'll be fine. I would also recommend to not bother yourself about the "popularity race" that inevitably happens, but you may actually enjoy that, I don't know.

Good points there, especially about the bags.
I personally steal a lot of stuff from my friend's locker, and judging by his reaction it's quite invasive and demoralizing.

 

[Laser Priest]

Make sure you understand everything. Study for your tests and put effort into your work.

Outside of that, all you've got is drama from people who think High School counts as the real world and that's about it.

 

[Victor Cross]

My advice: Get ready for hell XD

But in all seriousness, pretty much the usual. Be careful, be yourself, etc. Personally, I say that you shouldn't let High School change your values. Doing stupid things is an unavoidable thing, but don't do something stupid (and trust me, there are PLENTY of opportunities to do something stupid in High School) just based on the belief of "because that's usually what happens". Stick with what you have and work with it.

I, a 10th grader, soon-to-be 11th grader, wish you good luck

 

[kloiberin_time]

1. Unless you are carrying a +4.0 your GPA does not matter as long as it is over 2.5. Most state colleges will accept that. As far as scholarships go you will not get an academic one unless you are rocking the +4.0

2. Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. From pulp to classics. To quote one, "A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." Many years ago when I was in high school I was able to write a report on "Silence of the Lambs" while everyone else wrote theirs on "The Feminine Mystique" or similar books in a history class because the teacher was impressed that I brought a book of my own to class. I was once bumped from coach to First class because of the book I had in my carry on. Besides what you learn from a book, people respect you more when they see you reading it. The people who matter anyway.

3. Take many classes in many different things. When I graduated 8th grade I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. When I graduated high school I knew I wanted to teach music. When I left college the first time I wanted to be a reporter, the second time a DJ. I now test cell phones and could not be happier. I loved my music classes in high school, I loved theatre and debate. I loathed History and English. Yet I learned more from History and English than any of my classes in high school.

4. In conjunction with 3, never judge a subject on its instructor. I always loved to read and write, yet I thought I hated English. It was not until I was in College that I learned the err of my hatred. You will be asked to read in High School, but not to think about what you read. Do so anyway. You are allowed to hate what you read. You are allowed to think there is nothing "Great" about Gatsby and that the biggest tragedy of "An American Tragedy" was that it was written. But read them and form opinions on WHY you dislike them and discuss. Listen to others points of views and research what the author was trying to convey. Dylan Thomas' poem, "Do Not Go Gentle into That Goodnight." will never be half as good without knowing WHY he wrote it.

5. Know when to boast and when to be silent. Some ex-cons have stated that you can live through a prison sentence if you keep your head down and don't cause trouble. Others have credited their survival to a belonging to a gang or group. The truth lies in the middle. I have friends that I trust with just about anything a decade after high school, but I also have a metal rod in my nose to remind me to keep my mouth shut at times.

6. Love and laugh and cry. Mope and brood. Write love letters and bad break-up poetry. And get over it. This is one of the few times in your life you are allowed to be overly melodramatic, but reel it in when you are done. Marrying your high school sweetheart will only lead to divorce, but not loving will lead to a lifetime of awkwardness. Learn to court and to kiss. Awkwardly grope and fool around, just remember that the relationship will fail eventually.

7. Make sure the only gift your high school relationships give are memories. If you think you have troubles now, wait until you have kids. And for god's sake don't get herpes.

8. Find and lose religions until you know who you are. I still have not found one that I agree with 100%. Everyone is different, don't let ANYONE force their beliefs on you. If you find one that fits, awesome. If not, keep on looking but take something from each one you try, even if it is the knowledge that you DON'T believe in that one.

9. Jobs may "build character" and give you some money, but don't settle for a career that you picked up in high school. Leave those jobs for other high school students. Take the money, take the work experience, but leave the burden of work when you walk out the door each day. No one will care that you got fired from Taco Bell for refusing to work a holiday shift, or if you choose to be in a school play instead of sacking groceries. It is expected that you have extra curricular activities. Any job that tries to tell you they are more important than school, family, or whatever activities you do should hire someone full-time with benefits and a livable wage. You can find another minimum wage paying job in a week.