Arlette Huesca | On 23, May 2016

One day it was the first day of my freshman year, then the next day I woke up and the year was almost over. At least, that’s how it feels. The year has gone by so quickly. These past couple of months have been the most interesting of my life.

A word of advice for incoming Hudson freshmen: In 8th grade you were the big kid, the aged and experienced. In high school it’s a whole different ball game. You are now on the bottom of the social ranking and there is nothing you can do about it. Why? Because, you are a freshman, that’s why! Okay, okay…I promise I won’t be so vague in my reasoning for the rest of this piece, but I do urge you to take my advice. You’ll need it.

So what is a day in life of a freshman? I wake up, have fifteen minutes to get ready, then run outside to catch the bus. Sound stressful, huh? It’s not so bad, not really. Once you get to school, the day goes by rapidly. As long as you know your schedule, you’ll be fine. I confess that I was once that confused person who bumped into upperclassmen trying to find her classes. Yes, I was that girl. Once I learned my schedule, everything went by quickly.

During lunch you can choose to socialize, study, or eat. I do a little bit of all each day. After lunch, you have a couple of classes left and you are done with the day, unless you’re on a team or in a club. I went to volleyball practice and did my fair share of laps whenever I made mistakes. Let me tell you, what a workout! After that, I would arrive home around six o’clock. I took a shower, ate, procrastinated…you know, the usual. I would find myself doing my homework at midnight. Classes that will have assigned homework every single day are Biology, Algebra, and World History. Just a heads up! The other classes you’ll have are Comparative Literature, Revelation, Latin (or Spanish), and Cycle. I sometimes still do work on my homework until the wee hours of the night, but I manage to get it all done regardless. Some people work better under pressure, and I happen to be one of them. The key is to know yourself and how you work best.

In the beginning of the year I didn’t know anyone. You won’t either. But don’t be afraid! No one knows anyone in the beginning. Chances are you will make a friend within the first day of school. Also I recommend playing a sport. Not only does it look amazing on a college application, but also it provides the opportunity to make great friends. I made half of my great friends through sports. What if you are not good at a sport? It is completely understandable, and everyone has a different forte. You could be a team manager like I was for the swim team, where I met some of the most amazing people ever. The great thing about extracurricular activities is that you suddenly have a range of friends, including upperclassmen. I even went to the senior prom this year, which is insane! If you aren’t into athletics at all, Hudson also offers Drama, Mock Trial, Model UN, and much more. Hudson has a variety of clubs and activities for you, so don’t fear. Find your niche. Plus, the teachers and coaches are great. I adore all the teachers I have, as I am sure you will too.

As a freshman you are expected to make mistakes. At the beginning of the year I played volleyball. I soon realized it just wasn’t fun for me. I was bored. Coach Nick was nice enough to switch me to soccer, and I enjoyed being there. I loved the sport and my teammates. The point is that I made a mistake. It happens. It’s called life. You make a mistake, learn from it, and don’t do it again. It is as simple as that, so don’t be afraid to try new things and take opportunities. You can make mistakes as long as you learn to find a solution or alternate approach and make the changes you need to help you be successful;. Remember, just because you are a freshman, it doesn’t mean colleges aren’t watching.

Hypothetically speaking, your first year of school may be the easiest year of your high school career, so make it count out. If you think colleges don’t look at what you’ve done freshman year, you are absolutely wrong. Take this opportunity to get your grades up high, so if you make some mistakes throughout the next three years you will still have your high freshman grades to boost your GPA.

Another piece of advice is to check your behavior issues at the door. It’s not funny when you disrespect an adult, just immature. It can also affect your chances into getting into the college you want, because the moment you step into high school everything goes onto your transcript.

You don’t have to like everybody, but you must respect them. Last but not least, as Mr. Matthews says, “Be on time, be dressed, and be respectful.” I assure you that if you follow these simple rules you’ll survive and thrive.

Overall, one of your goals as a freshman should be to have the kind of year that produces no regrets. I can now look back on my freshman year and honestly say I have no regrets. Everything I did had a purpose and felt right for me. I know this may seem like a handful, but so many great things come out of it. I accomplished many things this year, and I am proud of myself. I also met an amazing person who changed my perspective of how I viewed the world and showed me true kindness and care.

Make sure you love what you do freshman year, and don’t look back or second guess yourself. Now that I am almost done with my first year of high school, I can genuinely say that I am in the right place. Freshman year was a blast, and I’m looking forward to being a sophomore. Remember to make your years at Hudson Catholic count—they go by in the blink of an eye.