Communicate with teachers

Be sure to build good relationships with teachers at the beginning of the year. Open and frequent communication makes them more willing to help when troubling situations arise. Additionally, when teachers understand a student’s learning style, they can better support them in and outside of the classroom.

Take advantage of classwork and study hall time 

With four core academic classes and two electives, the workload can become more than overwhelming quickly. Using built-in workshop time and study hall is one of the most important strategies to avoid excess homework and late penalties. Turning assignments in early and studying is a much better use of time than scrolling on Instagram. Plus, this will allow for more free-time at home.

Don’t get involved in drama

Everyone knows how prevalent gossip and drama are in high school. There always seems to be an endless amount of rumors circulating throughout the student body. The wonderful thing about these stories is that they never last because next week, there will be a new weird thing to obsess over. Just try to not get involved in conflicts and remember that in the grand scheme of things, people’s opinions do not matter.

Create an planner of some sort

Without some list/agenda/planner, most PFHS students would not make it through a week. The key is finding out what medium works for each person and how much detail is required to keep it all straight. Some students benefit from a simple list on paper while some go out of their way to create a terribly intricate system on excel or sheets. Use the lightened workload the first quarter brings to figure out which system works best. 

Know the lay of the land

Before the first day of school, be sure to review a map of the school. Knowing key locations like the gym, the cafeteria, and the library are crucial. After a few weeks at PFHS, it will all seem simple, but in the meantime, know which room numbers are in which hallways or keep a map on-hand.

Join clubs

One of the most common pieces of advice freshmen get is to join clubs. Annoying as hearing this constantly is, it is true. PFHS offers a club for everything. From Cloud Watching to Science Olympiad to Thespian Society, there is something for everyone. Joining clubs unlocks a social network that is inaccessible in core classes, and as an added bonus, they look wonderful on resumes. 

While the newfound freedom is nice, use it responsibly

Finally getting a shot in high school is really exciting. However, as the saying goes, with freedom comes responsibility. Even though phones are regulated less and people’s whereabouts are not questioned as much, do not take advantage of the system. Though it sounds harsh, scrolling social media during class and skipping class is downright stupid. Enjoy the leeway but prioritize education. 

Take lecture notes 

Taking lecture notes is a skill that is not only useful in high school, but also college and beyond. While slides used in class often sum up information well, personalized notes can encapsulate good analogies or ways to remember concepts that were mentioned in class.  

Don’t pull all-nighters

Just don’t. Any work done at 3 am will not be the same quality as work done during the day. Create a study schedule that allows for sleep, and most importantly, don’t start studying the night before the test. Ask any senior, trying to learn calculus 12 hours before a test is never a good strategy.

Look over lecture slideshows before the class

Lectures are so much easier to comprehend when the information is not passing through for the first time as the teacher talks. Before class, look over the lecture slideshow, articulate a few questions, and take note of any potentially important information.