How to Enter a New High School

Leaving behind friends and familiar classrooms is a trying transition for most. Beginning a new high school is one of the harder teenage experiences. That doesn't need to be the case. Below are just a few ideas to make the transition to a new high school just a little easier.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Make your first day the best day of your new high school career. Be bold, be bright and be happy to make a great first impression. This is not the day to have an attitude problem, experiment with hair or makeup or wear your laundry day outfit.
2. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible across the grade levels without being pushy. Especially if attending a smaller school, it is important to find allies across the age range.
3. Get the teachers on your side as soon as possible. Peers and their teachers judge new students. Both perceptions are important to your high school reputation.
4. Be yourself enough to make an impression but not so much that you isolate yourself. It's great to be an individual in high school but don't scare off potential new friends by sharing all your quirks and strange tastes in the first week. Let people know you in a basic way before you get into specifics.
5. Set the tone for your reputation by being a leader and not a follower. After adapting to the unspoken rules of your new high school, be sure to break at least one. Accepting that the top dog is not the top dog in your eyes is a great way to stand out and look cool.
6. Stand up for yourself and make sure to let people know intelligently when you disagree. New schools are about gaining new respect and when it comes to morals, politics, religion and other teen issues, being clear about where you stand allows your new peers to know where you fit in their world. Miscommunications can ruin a teen reputation.
7. Laugh alot and stay honest as you settle into your new school. Being the best person you can be is the key to surviving both the teen years and high school.