To All Future 7th Graders

The school year is fast approaching, and while for some of us it means Senior year, for others it means seventh grade, which is the start of high school for most of us up here in the Northland.  It's an entirely new adventure, and although for some it can seem scary, for others it can be quite the wonderful experience.  Here are some tips to survive your first year in the wonderful world of high school, no matter where you may be in the country. 

• Don't Run Down The Hallways: Punctuality is going to seem like a big deal when you first start high school, the reason being you're fearing tardies on your permanent record.  However, it's not as big of a deal as it seems.  You don't need to treat the hallway like it's a freeway.  Just take it easy, but don't act like it's a traffic jam, because other people who have places to be will shove you around to get where they need to go. 
• Participate, Participate, Participate: Some of us when we start high school tend to have the "Who cares?!" attitude when it comes to getting involved in the school activities and societies.  If an opportunity comes your way, pick it up and run with it.  Find ways to get rides to and from the place if your parents are busy and it takes place outside of normal school hours.  It will look great on a resume someday and it will build character for you to participate and be as involved as possible. 
• Don't Be A Stuck-Up: Seventh graders tend to get a reputation sometimes, and that reputation is a bad one.  You can be seen as one of the most respectful classes ever, or one of the most disrespectful ones.  While you don't need to bow down to upperclassmen, just a general respect for them and willingness to work with them are good tactics to put to use. 
• Being Popular Isn't Everything: If they don't have them already, some guys will have girlfriends and be popular and some girls will have boyfriends and be popular.  Some take the "Flavor of the Week" approach to dating, and others may have a relationship that lasts a lifetime.  These kids are generally the popular ones, and although it may seem reasonable to want to be like them, it's not something that should make or break your world, especially if the popular kids are crude towards others.  Be the best you can be without being mean, and maybe you will find some really good friends instead of ones that cling to you because you're the "big man on campus".  Don't let people walk all over you either though. That's just horrid. 
• Stay on Track In Class: 7th and 8th Grade are still pretty easy in terms of homework and tests and the like, but don't think you have a free pass to fail anymore, because you don't.  You will be prevented from playing sports and participating in activities if you are found to have grades that are flailing about wildly.  Stay on top of your homework, it'll benefit you in the long run. 

And there you have it, some tips to have a great seventh grade year.  If you have any more to add, sound off in the comments!  I love hearing from you guys!