ADVICE TO FRESHMEN

 

• Get involved with co-curriculars (sport and clubs) at the beginning of your high school years. It gets harder with time to get involved. 

• Don't waste your time overstressing during your freshman year. Focus on getting involved in sports or clubs to help balance out your life. 

• Pay attention in class-it is way easier if you just do it while you are there. 

• Try a sport if you haven't before. Track is a great place to start!

• If you have a locker nowhere near your classes, don't try to go in between each class-you'll never make it. I usually make sure to have everything for my class before lunch and then switch for after lunch classes. 

• Freshman are socially at the low-end of the totem pole so don't freak out too much when you hear "only freshman"

• High school goes by really fast, take time to enjoy everyday. Also go to the dances and get involved for the same reason!

• Just do your work-it is way easier and less stressful. Go see your teachers for help in academic support or afterschool. 

• Get involved your freshman year.

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Dear future ninth grader,

     Congratulations! You’re almost in high school! I remember graduating from middle school. It was exciting to be moving on, but also sad because I had had a really great two years there. I was especially nervous starting ninth grade because it was my first year in RSU 16, and I was completely new to everything. I needn’t have worried though, because although the first few days were pretty overwhelming, all the teachers and upperclassmen were super nice and doing their best to make everyone feel as welcome as possible. 

In fact, the teachers are one of the most impressive things about this high school. The faculty at PRHS is amazing, and not only are they all good at their jobs, they also always do their best to make their students feel safe and listened to. They want to see you succeed, and will do everything they can to help you along the way!

I think the most important thing to do in your freshman year is to work hard and do your best, but also to not stress yourself out too much. Don’t freak out over projects or assignments, just work through them as best you can, and know that your teachers are always willing to help if you need them. Also make sure to have fun, be kind, and keep an open mind! Make new friends, try things you normally wouldn’t do, and treat others well. Take advantage of all the opportunities you have to grow here, both as a student and as a person!

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Dear future ninth grader,

The only real change from middle school to high school, in my opinion, is that you grow to be more self aware. In middle school you may have been self conscious about how you look or act. In high school, it’s time to be your own person, to figure out yourself and who you want to be. It’s also a time to take risks. If there's something you want to do, you have to go for it. High school is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So take it. Participate in the spirit week dress ups, the airbands, the talent shows, the activities, the dances. Every experience you choose to have will bring you a better whole high school experience. So I’m here to say, as you graduate from middle school to highschool, don’t be afraid to have the time of your life. 

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Dear future ninth-grader,

PRHS is all about the community and well-being of the students who go there. You will feel nervous and that’s okay, I was too. While the homework load is more than what we had in middle school, you will have an academic support block (Even if you’re in Band and/or Chorus) 3-4 times a week during school. These are 80-minute blocks where you can do homework, study, and check in with a teacher. 

Also, I highly recommend participating in a sport during high school. The team bonding that we do is so much more than what we did in middle school and can give you lifelong friends. It also helps you practice discipline and to stay in shape too. Don’t be scared for tryouts, because if you work hard and try your best you will have a great shot at making the team. Or if sports aren’t your thing, Student Council (SRB), Ski Club, Book Club, Band, Speech and Debate, and so many more clubs are fun ways to participate in the school community. Chorus and Band are also fun ways to make connections and are always fun if you like music. 

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Dear future ninth grader,

My biggest advice is to get to know your roundtable. I know you know some of these kids like the back of your hand. But do you really know them? I’m not just talking about their name either. Be kind; they are an individual just like you. Get to know your roundtable teacher, too — some of your best memories will come from that small classroom. Don’t hold back in the classroom either. Let your teachers get to know you and let them understand who they are working with. Trust me, it’ll help you in the long run. I hope freshman year goes well for you. I’ll be rooting for you. Good luck :)!

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Dear future ninth grader,

I would definitely recommend taking a language, (either Spanish or French) because it looks good on college applications, and it’s pretty fun too. The most fun part of freshman year, for me, has been pep rallies and Winter Carnival. There’s nothing more fun than cheering on your classmates and screaming at the top of your voice in a packed gym instead of learning about erosion in science class. 

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Dear future ninth grader, 

Walking into high school was a new and scary thing. I was scared about what older classmates would say to me in the hall. I wondered if it was going to be just like high school in movies. I questioned if the teachers would like me or accept me. I worried I wasn’t ready.

I realized I was more ready for high school than I thought I was. The teachers were so much different than expected and they helped more than anything. I loved coming to school everyday to see the smiles on my teachers’ face. The teachers are so understanding and they’re all great listeners they just want what's best for you. 

During your year, the best thing you can do is work on building a relationship with your teachers, and peers around you. They really are the best support in high school. If you need help, let them know. They all love to help and will pretty much drop what they're doing to help you out. 

The greatest lesson I learned in ninth grade is that there is always time. Time to catch up on work. Time to improve and time to express your feelings. At the start of ninth grade I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to catch up if I fell behind. My teachers were always helping me with things. If I asked for help they were happy to. However, your teachers are not going to follow you around like elementary school anymore. When you're older it's time to make responsible decisions during school. Remember to ask for help when needed. I can’t stress this enough. They are all happy to help but are not going to hold your hand all year. 

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Dear future ninth grader, 

There are definitely many aspects of high school that I thought would be challenging, but they aren’t so bad. I was really sad and hurt leaving middle school. I remember middle school being amazing and safe and that high school looked big, new, and very scary. In high school, there are a lot more options in classes, friends, lunch food, and things you can do after school or even during school. If I really had to pick one thing that you need to be successful at PRHS, I’d say that when you need something or someone, say something. If you need help with anything there are people that will always help you. There are some things students will say about certain teachers but I wouldn’t listen to them. Figure out who you like and who you don’t care for on your own.

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Dear future ninth grader, 

The best part of high school is that the people are adult enough to be mature but kid enough to be awesome. The worst part is it is way too easy to stretch yourself thin with so many great and fun activities and classes to choose from. If you want to be a success then never do just enough to get a 3. Do more! The social structure at PRHS is complicated; you might have multiple groups to fit into. 

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Dear future ninth-grader, 

Something you have to know to be successful at PRHS is that you do need to be respectful to everyone. In middle school, you have the saying, “Take care of yourself, take care of each other, take care of the place.” In high school, we have the 3 Cs: Community, Citizenship, and Character. Please follow this so we can keep our school feeling safe.

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Dear future ninth grader,

The greatest lesson I learned this year was to branch out, try and talk to new people. I know how much anxiety it causes, but when you try and move past it you'll be glad, because I've met some amazing people this year. A big thing to know is that high school won't always be fun, midterms and tests can be challenging, but if you put your all into every small thing you do, your effort will pay off in ways you can't even imagine! 

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Dear future ninth grader,

I remember when freshman year began to approach I was nervous about how the other grades would respond to us, which looking back now seems kind of ridiculous. All of the older students are very welcoming and are mostly willing to help and work with you. I would really recommend taking Yearbook because not only do you get to take pictures of school events, you also get to meet a lot of students outside of just the freshmen class. As for co-curriculars I can only speak for one, but I definitely recommend Speech & Debate. I would also say that you should take advantage of reassessment opportunities and the Learning Center. Hope this helps! 

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Dear future ninth grader,

Co-Curriculars are very important. Definitely try to find some that you like. The best thing I learned this year was making sure not to give up too quickly. Make sure you have tried everything you can to complete a problem before asking for help.  Always know that almost every teacher, especially your roundtable teacher, would love to talk about problems that you are facing and questions about work. 

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It isn’t as scary as it seems.

Jack Boles

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Freshman year can be very scary and overwhelming at first. But as you go on it does get better as long as you do your work and try your absolute best.

Abby Bsullak

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I was new to PRHS and was kind of scared at first, but after the first week it was fine. My advice would be to join a fall sport, that way you get to know people before the school year even starts because that helps a lot. It gives you a chance to get you to know other people, like the upperclassmen. Also, don’t wait until the last minute to do your work because it will get stressful. That's all I have for advice so yeah have fun good luck. 

~Maryssa Cavallaro

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Hello Future Freshman,

This past year has been a lot different than what your year will look like but here is what I can give. In my opinion, the regular part of this year was easy for me. Coming from a kid with a pretty high gpa that probably doesn’t mean a lot to you, but even most of my friends did pretty well in school. If you do your homework and schoolwork this year should breeze by pretty quickly. Here’s my greatest advice to you. You have 2 paths, slack off and barley get passed the year or put in the effort to do the work and graduate with a really good GPA. You choose which one you want to take.

Parker Demelia