Dear Freshman, | Teen Ink

Dear Freshman,

April 27, 2013
By wannabebrit SILVER, Debary, Florida
wannabebrit SILVER, Debary, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;Why are some things easier to write than say?&rdquo; <br /> ― Ally Condie, Matched<br /> <br /> &quot;There have been two great accidents in my life, one was the trolley and the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst.&quot; ~Frida Kahlo


It’s all almost over, that little fact inside itself thrills me. No more teasing stares as I misdirect myself down the south hallway, when Mr. Quack’s biology class is off the north, no more pity-heavy glances from the “top dogs” of the school that have a tinge of a heart in their bodies, and no more being treated like lost puppies in a pack of wolves. But in this realization that I will no longer be the cute, oddly envied freshman of the school, I have found myself obligated to leave behind some best wishes advice to the incoming minnows of a ruthless high school pond:

I’m not sure at all how to start this, so I’ll begin my words of wisdom just like anyone would.
Dear incoming freshman,

Here is everything in my mind I could possibly pass on as knowledge to you in hoping that you are slightly less consumed in embarrassment than I was:
Rule #1: Heels are More Pain Than Pretty: At the time, when you are shopping for school clothes and you want desperately to look ten times more mature than you see yourself; then you feel even worse because maybe your best friends have been texting or talking about the inches high stilettos they bought for their very first day: Do not stoop to by heels, or high shoes for that matter to equal your best friend. Your new best friend is called sneakers and they will really have pulled through for you when your best friend is flat on her face on the second flight of stairs and you’re still comfortably trotting to class.
Rule #2: Don’t Be Afraid to Be Daring: Whether it is in clothing style, hairdo, or shocking actions don’t be afraid to wow the masses every once and a while. Wear mismatched clothing when you want, make a hair statement, and don’t be scared to be the life of the party. Those being said don’t push the boundaries to far and always keep a level head- even if it comes extremely hard. Changing it up a bit will guarantee even if it’s only one person that someone will remember you.
Rule #3: Rebel Cautiously: The worst thing you could do is release a full-blown anger bomb on the first weeks of school that will land you in a detention desk. It’s okay to have uncensored teasing among your lunch friends. But there is other more subtle and wittier ways of light rebellion around buddies as well. Throw back a well thought out, wise retort that will leave your opponent speechless. Game over.
Rule #4: A Little Punk Power Never Hurt: By high school your friends have already developed a persona for you; whatever that may be whether it’s the cute one, the smart one, the funny one, or even the punk one. Use your personality as an advantage to find crowds with the same attitude that you are bound to get along with. Sometimes, by just being you and being proud of that, you gain respect from all classes.
Rule #5: Pity is Part of the Party: Upper classmen are sure to look at the “poor wandering freshman” and get a shock of good citizenship by trying to assist the helpless under classmen in the overwhelming life of high school. (It’s not as bad as they all say it is) Use this surprising sudden kindness to your best advantage. Seniors and Juniors will spill the cleanest bathrooms to use, the best ways to be an instant teacher’s pet, or which hallways to stay out of if you warm up to them. This information can be extremely vital to pulling of a successful first year without a hitch.

It’s a new kind of odd, to think my very first year is already over. I fold up the ink stained, crumpled, and make-up smeared scratch paper into the neatest square I can fix; then all I can do is stare at the hollow shell of a locker compartment that I used to own. I try to think of the freshman who will be so unlucky to inherit my locker in the year coming; maybe she will be half cute, half punk like me. I smiled at the beat exterior of the locker and tucked my note scrap in the left corner, just maybe- that freshman may find my advice.


The author's comments:
If I had to give a new freshman advice based on my own experiences this is what I would say.

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 11 comments.


on Oct. 24 2023 at 9:51 pm
SunnySkies GOLD, Cleveland, Tennessee
19 articles 2 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine, we'll understand it, all by and by.

Thank you, I'm going into high school next year! :D

on Aug. 6 2013 at 3:09 pm
SSSplatters PLATINUM, Plainview, Minnesota
25 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;What does not kill you makes you stronger!&quot; or<br /> &quot;Your only limits are the ones you set on yourself&quot; Love doesn&#039;t bring happiness, happiness can just happens to be found easier where there is love-- Sam

Thank You so much for wrting this, as a freshman this will help imensily, and thank goodness you warn of the dangers of high shoes or i would be a goner. Brilliant Writing

Mckay ELITE said...
on May. 8 2013 at 8:59 pm
Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
146 articles 0 photos 2230 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.&quot;<br /> &mdash;Apple&rsquo;s &ldquo;Think Different&rdquo; commercial, 1997<br /> &ldquo;Crazy people are considered mad by the rest of the society only because their intelligence isn&#039;t understood.&rdquo; <br /> ― Weihui Zhou

Very fascinating. I was quie move really. 

on May. 4 2013 at 3:03 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Interesting. The format was a bit odd, only because the beginning sounded like an essay rather than a story as you finished it off, but otherwise it was great advice! Very nice. Just watch out for confusing/runon sentences and you'll be great!

Nelu96 GOLD said...
on May. 4 2013 at 4:22 am
Nelu96 GOLD, Windhoek, Other
10 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life isn&#039;t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.&quot;- George Bernard Shaw

Great work!

JazzyJay said...
on May. 3 2013 at 11:51 pm
JazzyJay, Silver Spring, Maryland
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It doesn&#039;t matter how young you are you always have the chance to pursue your dream.&quot; but the one I always use is &quot;Give me a minute!&quot;

Amazing I wasn't exspecting it to be this good. Maybe you can read some of my books. I don't know if there as good as yours but they are books to take a look at.

on May. 3 2013 at 5:33 pm
wannabebrit SILVER, Debary, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;Why are some things easier to write than say?&rdquo; <br /> ― Ally Condie, Matched<br /> <br /> &quot;There have been two great accidents in my life, one was the trolley and the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst.&quot; ~Frida Kahlo

Thank you I love the constructive comments, they help me to write a lot better!

on May. 3 2013 at 5:10 pm
SleepingDragon58, Groose Pointe, Michigan
0 articles 0 photos 10 comments
This piece was really good!

on May. 3 2013 at 5:02 pm
Snow-Angel BRONZE, NIne Mile Falls, Washington
1 article 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
What is Normal? Normal is a setting on a washing machine. <br /> No one wants to be that!

like it! love it! I want some more of it! :P

AngieBomber said...
on May. 3 2013 at 12:24 pm
i loved this it will surely help me when im in highschool next year! i loved how you paused in just the right places! i have always had trouble with some of these thing when schoolscoming up. so this will help me alot!! also next year ill be a freshman!!!  im not sure where you live but if i did i would hope it was near me so i could get that locker! Xp i think i might even fit your discription. 

on May. 2 2013 at 5:52 pm
davidnolan BRONZE, Manchester, Vermont
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments
I thought this was great! Your pacing was great, you showed a good vocabulary, and mixed your sentence structures. The advice, also, was clever and entertaining to read. I like how this was reasonably short- it held my attention for the entire length. The one mistake I found was at the end in the last sentence. The dash is incorrect. If you want the dash, it should really go before "just". Other than that, this was really grammatically clean and clever!