The new school year welcomes a new dress code, new attendance policy and more importantly - a new batch of freshmen.

They’ll find that the school is bigger than middle school students are used to, the classes are longer for them, the freedoms are increased and the different options and oppor- tunities make it easy for freshmen to lose themselves in high school life.

For our beloved freshmen, I’m offering this school survival guide of Do’s and Don’ts that can possibly make your high school career more successful and less embarrassing:

Do: Your homework- This is the first and foremost rule in high school.

Don’t: Wait to do your homework before class starts. You won’t get it done in time, so save yourself the frustration.

Do: Avoid lunch room and hallway confrontations. It could end up being extremely embarrassing.

Don’t: Be late to history teacher Richard Cok’s class. You don’t want to get on this teacher’s bad side. That is a rule that every student should know.

Do: Get involved with extracurricular activities and join clubs. Not only do they look good on college applications, but they are also a positive way to use your spare time.

Don’t: Wait until junior year to prepare for the ACT. Get a practice book and use it.

Do: Form good relationships with staff. It will help you in the long run.

Don’t: Don’t waste your ninth grade year by failing classes or letting your grades slip. Colleges receive your whole transcript, not just the parts you want them to look at.

Do: Take good advice from your fellow seniors. We’ve been through it all, so we know.

And last but not least- 

Do: Be yourself. Although it sounds corny, it’s really the best and most useful advice I can give you besides not being late to Cok’s class. Don’t let others influence you in negative ways. Embrace positive influences, and you’ll be better off.