For anyone starting high school, it can be an intimidating time. You’re suddenly in an environment where you’re not always surrounded by familiar faces and you have a lot more freedom. But not to worry – high school is one the best and most memorable times of your life.

High school is the perfect opportunity to explore, meet new friends, figure out your interests and to figure out what you want to do as a career.

Meeting New Friends
If you’re starting high school with friends you already know from elementary school, try not to limit yourself to that clique. We all see the typical cliques in teen movies. The jocks, the cheerleaders, the nerds…but reality is not really like that. You can be a “jock” who is into academics or be an academic who is into sports. So be open to meeting new people. How do you go about doing this? You can meet new people in your classes. You will eventually have to work in preassigned groups on projects in classes, so this is the perfect time to get out of your comfort zone and get to know new people as you may be spending a lot of time together outside of class time. Take advantage of that time together; you may find you have a lot in common with them. You can also meet new people by joining clubs, extracurricular activities, joining sports teams and attending social events like dances and pep rallies.

What are Your Interests?
Maybe you weren’t as athletic in your elementary school but now you want to try out for the soccer or basketball team. It’s a great way to stay active and of course to meet new people that have similar interests as you. Maybe you’ve always been interested in music or pursuing acting. Join the school choir or drama club. Maybe you want to run for the school election or join a committee – it’s a great way to hone your leadership skills! Also, the best part about high school is that you can pick a lot of your own courses that you can choose based on your interests like Art, Drama, Music, Creative Writing and Media Studies, just to name a few.

Choosing Your Career
High school is the time to figure out what you want to take in your post-secondary education and to figure out what career path to take. Through your courses, you will figure out what your strengths are and what you’re most interested in. You have a lot of resources available to you to help figure out what you want to do. Teachers and guidance counselors can help guide you to the right path and assist you in the necessary steps to get there. Volunteer hours are now mandatory requirement for high school, so this is the perfect time to work in a field of your interest and to gain first-hand experience in your chosen industry. This experience also looks great on a resume if you’re looking to apply to a job. Maybe you want to become a teacher so you can volunteer at a school. You will gain valuable skills that you can use in the future.

Your Social Life
School is not all about work. You need to have some fun, and it’s all about balance. Take advantage of the social aspect of high school. Go to school trips, dances, and parties. You will most likely make friendships that will last a lifetime so take advantage of these opportunities. High school will go by in a flash, but these years will be the ones that you will always remember.