Oh, hello giant high school.

[Lady Aura]

[CENTER][FONT="Palatino Linotype"]=\

So, I went to the orientation for my high school today. I didn't know the buildings were going to be so huge. The main building is two-story, along with a few other buildings that surround it.

I think my biggest fear about going into high school is getting lost, and having a panic attack. I have panic issues when I'm in a place with a lot of people, and I usually break down and cry when I become too paraniod.

Also, I only have one class with my best friend. Choir. Not good at all. =\ She's my support. Always has been.

I'm almost done with my honors English assignment. [U]The Andromeda Strain[/U] wasn't as boring as I thought it would be, but I didn't think I'd be going back through it a billion times just to find a certain paragraph.

Anyhoo~ -Getting off track-

I signed up for the Gay-Straight Allience at my new high school. (My dad is NOT happy about that. He's extremely homophobic) I'm thinking about going into drama, just because I like to perform for people.

So, for you high schoolers. -Poke poke-
Advice for me during my next four years at school?

[SIZE="1"]I'll probably make another one of these right before I go into college. So be ready to give me more advice.[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER]

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]It's been a while since I finished high school, but my main piece of advice is not to panic - you will be totally fine. I remember how huge high school looked when I first started.

Soon you will be the oldest in the school and the new kids will look so small to you. :catgirl:[/font]

[Orcus]

[SIZE="1"]James is absolutely right. I just graduated from High School, and I'm about to start college, so I know how you feel. Big, vast, new surroundings, and nobody you know around. College is like living in a new city, and high school can feel the same. The most important thing is to just stay calm, and not make too much of it before hand. It'll come when it comes, and you'll deal with it accordingly.

I only had one class with a friend my freshmen year, and that was really scary. But I got through that by being friendly and good-natured. People gravitate to you if you've got a sense of humor and you smile.

Drama is a great idea. I knew a lot of drama kids, and they all were really fun people. It's an easy way to associate with people, and it makes your face known around campus [should you decide to act in performances].

But all in all, relax- AND ENJOY IT. It goes quickly. I know everyone says that, but it really, really does. And, despite all of the awful things that'll happen [because bad things do happen, just bounce back from them] you'll look back fondly when it's over and wish it never ended.

[B]EDIT:[/B]Matter of fact, my sister's feeling the same way, kind of. She starts high school next week, and though she had a bit of a leg in with some of my younger friends still being at the school and having taken a class at the school, she's still nervous. So if at anything, take comfort knowing you're not alone. :D[/SIZE]

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][i]Do not be afraid little one, for soon you shall not be so little and thou shalt know the meaning of pride.

I remember being just as afraid, yeah I know, you can't imagine it, but it went away. And since I'm not there in person to do for you what a very kind upperclasswoman did for me, I'll reiterate the story for you.[/i]

I will come up to you, and you'll be sitting on a bench during lunch alone, and looking fearful. Reassuringly I'll tell you that high school will make you or break you, but you look like you're going to make it. And while it seems difficult now it really will get easier, and soon it'll all be something to look forward to instead of dread every day.

"So cheer up. I'll have your back. Just walk from point to point like you own the place, and nobody will mess with you."[/FONT][/COLOR]

[The13thMan]

[FONT="Trebuchet MS"]You have nothing to be afraid of in high school. People are people, for the most part. I know that when i was a senior in highschool if any freshman asked me a question, maybe where a certain class was, i'd gladly help out. Certainly not all people are like this, but i would say most are. It shouldn't be too hard to spot out the mean ones.

Really i think fear was the only real thing holding me back in highschool. Fear of what my peers would think of me for asking a dumb question or perhaps for standing up above them in any way at all. You have to get over that sort of stuff. In four years you'll never see those people again. Don't you want to be able to look back and think to yourself, "Yeah, i was fearless. I really got the most out of my highschool experience."

And if none of that helps... maybe think about finding a map of the school. My highschool had one in its planner, i think. Aha![/FONT]

[eleanor]

[font=trebuchet ms] You'll get used to it, real fast. Branch out, make new friends! You being in GSA and any performing club is a great start. Don't stress, freshmen and sophomore year were probably my best years of high school.[/font]

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]Haha, I just started college last week, so I totally know how you feel.

I didn't go to my public high school until my sophomore year...up until that point, my last experience in a public school setting was freakin' [i]kindergarten![/i] In between that, I was in and out of private schools before eventually just being home schooled. Going from that to public high school? Now THAT was an adjustment.

And I also know how it feels to have classes with only one friend. Right now, in college, I only have one class with a friend...and back second semester of my junior year, I had absolutely [i]no[/i] classes with friends, not even lunch! And that's when I absolutely needed them the most, with ACTs and whatnot.

But, have no fear. I'm certain you'll get used to it in no time. You'll grow accustomed to the place, make new friends. Give it a week, maybe two, and you'll become totally used to it.

Trust me, high school isn't as bad as people make it out to be. As long as you stay out of the drama, you shouldn't have too many problems. Trust me on this. And in four years, you'll be a senior, and you'll carry around a huge sense of pride knowing your hard work is about to pay off, and that you are of the highest class rank in the school. =D[/SIZE]

[SaiyanPrincessX]

[SIZE="1"]Wow, I remember when I first started high school. I moved the summer before to a new school district too, so I knew no one. My school seemed so big and very confusing. It was a two story building, but I only had one class my freshmen year and one my sophmore year up there. It took me a few weeks to get used to where everything was, and how extremly crowded it was. My graduating class was huge. I've been out for three years now, and I know I could still find my way around that freakin school.

So don't worry, we've all been through it and you'll get through it just fine. It just takes time to adjust.

I remember before I started high school I thought people really did shove you into lockers, lol! Although, I'm sure that has happened to someone here on OB. o_O[/SIZE]

[Raiha]

[quote name='SaiyanPrincessX'][SIZE="1"]

I remember before I started high school I thought people really did shove you into lockers, lol! Although, I'm sure that has happened to someone here on OB. o_O[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]*clears throat* Whoever that happened to I'm sure they deserved it very much.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Chaos]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]*clears throat* Whoever that happened to I'm sure they deserved it very much.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Hah. I so wanted to say that first.

Anyway.

*insert some generic "Don't-worry-you'll-be-fine" speech about high school*

...Screw that.

High schools are all different in some way or another. Two things are constant; the first year takes some adjusting in the academic sense, and there are always cliques. Nothing else. People do no launch rotted meat at people on the flag team. They do not dump pig blood on them at senior prom. They do not tape them to flag po--...they do not always go around trying to ruin relationships. ...Sometimes.

There is no cure-all formula that will make all the tumblers fall in place. You're just going to have to stick your chin out and take a few licks until you fall into the groove. Clubs usually help. Being outgoing helps. People you already know usually help. But nothing is assured.

Freshman year sucked for me. Sophomore wasn't much better. Junior and senior years ruled...mostly because we devoured freshmen and sophomores, haha.

I'll say the same thing I was told; just suck it up and deal with it. NOTHING that happens in high school is as dramatic as you see on TV or in movies. You won't be embarrassed to the point of suicide. You won't be demonized for a slight and cliched difference between you and the captain of the cheerleading squad.

At least, that's how it was here. Make waves, but don't tip the canoe and you'll be fine.

As to the campus size, I went to a high school that had over 2,200 students. Campus was two blocks. The best way to get the layout of the school? Screw the places that don't matter. Learn your classes and where they are. Make yourself a map or a rhyme that reminds you which way to go. Be creative. Be clever. Do what I did; make small arrows on random parts of the walls or lockers to lead you. Seriously. But don't get caught. XD

Eventually, it all becomes routine. You'll be going from class to class and not even notice where you're going, and still get to where you need to be. It just takes a little time.

[Gelgoog Pilot]

I wouldn't feel bad about getting lost or asking for directions. I've gone into the wrong room or sat in the wrong class in both high school and college, you blush and then leave and that's about all that happens.

Don't worry about not seeing your best buds all the time either, in fact take that time to make new friends. Look at it this way, high school means having only a few classes with your friends. College, means going to a different school than most of your friends. Live up the fact that you are still close and live near each other. Make those four years meaningful and exciting. I don't even see my best friend from grade school/high school but once every two months.

Get to know your teachers too, those people can be awesome and if you make friends with them sometimes you can slack off, such as I did in art for four years. Grant it I did plenty of work but that was the most stress free classes I took. Didn't have to talk in turn, could listen to music, wander around, and even try and take a nap.

[Vicky]

[size=1]Everyone's more optimistic than I expected... there must be something wrong with British high schools =/.

Chaos probably said it best and that'd be just to stick it out. I didn't too much like high school for a number of reasons, and even though it's not as dramatic as films make out it can sometimes be worse in it's own way (that's probably just my school so don't worry about that).

You'll probably find your way pretty easily. Or you could just do what I do - look for the geeky looking kid in your class and follow him around, they always know where they're going. There was some really obsessive compulsive kid in our class who made a point of memorizing his way around so we all just trailed behind him to find our classes.

When I started high school it was okay. Then it all went down hill from there =D. Like I said, that's probably just my high school because it's in one of the scummiest areas of the county and full of inbred rats.

You'll probably just get used to it. I start college next week but I'll do better than high school because I get to wear my sunglasses and I only have to stand the place for two years instead of five.[/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

Others have said it, but just give it time and you'll do fine. Once you figure out where your classes are, getting lost won't matter. That only happens maybe once or twice and then you'll realize you know where everything is pretty much.

It won't be perfect of course, but don't let the small mix ups get you down. Seriously, once a week or two has passed, you'll start to feel more at home in High School, to the point that you'll look back and wonder why you were so worried.