Homework, finals, college preparation, and sports: four daunting parts of high school that differentiate it from middle school. Through the overwhelming hours of homework assigned each night, the heavily-weighted finals that determine your GPA, and the thought of what you will do after high school looming in the back of your head at all times, the transition from middle school to high school can be quite a substantial one. Because it’s a large hurdle to overcome, it’s always helpful to have extra advice to assist you in your transition, especially from those who have already endured the journey. Tips on the importance of balancing sports, academics, and your social life can always be convenient and crucial to finding success in the transition. 

“Don’t procrastinate,” say Andrew Hanrahan, Juju Ngo, and Emma Barkes when asked for one piece of advice for middle school students transitioning into high school. One key component of high school that amplifies the difference from middle school to high school is the amount of homework that is assigned. Typically, a student ends up with around one to two hours of homework each night as teachers assign 30 minutes of homework for their class; with three to four classes each day, it’s easy to end up with a load of homework that can be overwhelming. As you become familiar with overwhelm, it’s important to realize that you are in the same boat as the rest of your classmates and that, as Juju Ngo says, “you will survive.” To avoid the buildup of this homework, it’s important to learn to avoid procrastination and be able to effectively finish your homework on time as the penalty for late homework or work can be detrimental to your grade. With all the work you have to balance, it’s hard to stay ahead. Emma Barkes suggests, “Use your planner,” and Halle Peterson suggests, “Stay on top of your work but remember to leave space for family, friends, and taking care of yourself; use your time well.” As both of these students reiterate, it’s important to be able to stay organized, especially with your time. 

“Do sports,” recommends Juju Ngo. Compared to middle school, sports are a step up when you get to high school. You have practices every day after school, usually two games per week, and harder opponents and opportunities you have to face. On top of that, sometimes you don’t get home until 9:00 at night when playing both junior varsity and varsity. Even though sports add another difficult layer to high school, they are worth it when comparing the pros to the cons. When playing sports in high school, you are able to make many new friends and get to know people from other grades. As Stella Morasch says, “Make an effort to connect with students in different grades. Whether it’s through shared classes or extracurricular activities, it’s nice to know/be friends with other grades.” Additionally, it's key to be able to focus on events and activities other than academics. Sports are a great way to have fun outside of school, make friends, and get your mind off of academics. 

Lastly, it's important to become familiar and comfortable with your teachers and surroundings. As Chloe Vezina states, “Communicate with your current and future teachers because as a freshman no one knows you, so try to meet people.” Being able to communicate with your teachers as well as your peers will help you become more comfortable with high school as a whole as it will build your support system and overall confidence. This way, whenever you need to ask for an extension or extra help on homework, you’re already comfortable with efficiently communicating with your teachers. As Meg Hoglund says, “High school really tests your organization and communication strategies and is also a place where you have to trust yourself and learn what works for you.” Though trying new ways of communication and organization can leave you out of your comfort zone, you should learn to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The many important lessons that you are exposed to in high school, especially in this transition, can be helpful to your future life throughout college and your eventual adulthood. From interactions including meeting new roommates that you spend your freshman year of college with to getting interviewed for your first job, high school interactions, like getting uncomfortable while confronting your teacher about a bad grade or awkwardly going through icebreaker questions on the first day of school, will translate directly to social interactions and situations that you will find yourself in for the rest of your life. Additionally, organizational skills can always be useful to assist you in planning your time well and keeping a balanced mix of your social, academic, and work life. As well, allowing yourself to accept and realize your mistakes, such as procrastination, and growing from them is an essential skill to carry through college as you start to deal with more independence and responsibility such as finding a job and balancing your time well. And, if you plan to get recruited for sports in college, there’s no better way to improve your skills than playing for your high school team. The stress of the middle school to high school transition is what makes it an opportunity to grow skills that will prepare you for the homework, finals, college preparation, and sports that you will have to face all throughout high school. As Kunga Kabsang says, “Embrace the transition!”