Recipe for a Successful Freshman Year

While freshman year can certainly be a struggle to navigate, following these easy steps will surely give you an easier time in your first year of high school!

Ingredients:

1 cup of sleep

2 teaspoons of friendship

3/4 cups of good habits

1/2 of perseverance

3 tablespoons of self-esteem

1 tablespoon of curiosity

2 tablespoons of hope

1 pinch of courage

1 cup of kindness

Step 1: Put sleep in the fridge to rest overnight.

While some students will encourage pulling all nighters to finish homework or scroll online, I find that getting as much sleep as possible sets you up for success more. While it can be appealing to doomscroll and forget the worries of the day, it will lead to heavier consequences. Having a clear mind is the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself, especially during tests or the stress of high school.

Step 2: Slowly fold in friendship.

Don’t rush this one. Strong friendships will provide the support you need to navigate everything freshman year will throw at you. It’s easy to focus on the phone and texting others, but try and pay attention to those around you and make an effort to interact in person. In addition, make sure that your friendship is healthy; a bad one will batter your spirits down and could alter your year irrevocably.

Step 3: Knead in good habits until thoroughly mixed.

It might be difficult to get good habits at first, but it’s worth it in the end. Instead of having to constantly remind yourself to do homework before scrolling, you can focus on getting your work done quickly and efficiently. Getting stuck on your phone could end with you struggling to finish your work or study for a test, so it’s best to try and avoid going online until you’ve started making progress on your work. Pairing this with sleep will maximize the effects of knowing material in class and being rested and awake.

Step 4: Whisk perseverance and self-esteem until smooth.

Self-esteem will keep you from undervaluing your abilities while perseverance will encourage you to keep going when others believe you’ll fail. Online, it’s easy to get caught up in influencers’ or classmates’ lives, but it’s important to remember that not everything on social media is real.

Step 5: Sprinkle in curiosity.

There’s always something new to learn and keeping a fresh perspective will encourage you to face high school as a new adventure, not a chore.

Step 6: Slowly mix in hope until it’s fully incorporated.

Mistakes are temporary, despite what everyone else will tell you. Things can always get better.

Step 7: Add a dash of courage.

This is most useful when joining a new club, introducing yourself, or asking for help. Often it’s very difficult to summon up courage, but it will pay off greatly.

Step 8: Finish with kindness.

Spread it generously over every interaction. Everyone else is facing their own challenges, and you never know when you’ll need someone else’s help or input.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve daily with a positive attitude. Remember that the recipe doesn’t have to be perfect; nothing can fully prepare someone for high school. Freshman year is about learning and growing. The best results come from trying your best and giving yourself room to improve.

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Email

bhp@bluehourproject.org

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