Starting high school is an important stepping stone in your educational career. That being said, sometimes the transition into this new time of your life can be a bit of a challenge. High school comes with new subjects, new teachers and a variety of new responsibilities, and you’re going to have to work even harder to do well. It’s crucial to know what you’re expected of in high school. It might take a little time for you to adjust, but if you stay on track and try your best, there is no doubt you will continue to succeed in school.

The main new responsibility you have in high school is initiative. There aren’t always going to be people to check up on you; a lot of your learning and progress depends on your hard work. You are responsible for your own grades: no one’s going to stand over you making sure you actually complete the work. Most teachers assign late penalties to assignments, which can seriously take a toll on your marks if you aren’t careful to get them in on time. What’s more, studying for tests, managing group projects and completing independent assignments are all up to you to handle. Teachers do try to help you out by providing reviews, giving extra help or reminding you of important dates. Ultimately, however, it’s up to you to put in the time you need to succeed.

To add to that, all high school courses, no matter the subject, have exams. Usually worth 10-30% of your final mark, this can either be a final exam, a summative assignment or a combination of both. Depending on your school’s setup, these final evaluation periods are once or twice per year for each subject—and unfortunately, they often come at you all at the same time. When you’re completing summatives or studying for exams, it’s important to stay focused and try not to lose your cool. Exam season is a stressful time of year for everyone, but little by little you’ll start to become accustomed to the extra hours you have to spend on your schoolwork.

Keeping all that in mind, don’t be too intimidated. Starting high school may be a difficult transition at first, but you can make it through if you try! It’s crucial to develop good work habits from the start, because as your education progresses your responsibilities will continue to grow. High school is designed to help you along the path to post-secondary (whether it is university, college, an apprenticeship, etc.). You might find that once you get used to your new learning environment, you can really start to enjoy the material you’re studying. Don’t discount the important learning you’re going to do at this time of your life—not only through your schoolwork, but through the life skills you pick up along the way.