Starting highschool soon, any tips?

[Damon]

So many of you new high schoolers asking for advise on here. It's cool because I like to give advise. First of all, high school and middle shool will be incredibly different, in most ways, a good different. I've divided my advise up into sections because I'm not sure exactly what you'll need.

First day
- dont be afraid to ask questions. There's a good chance you'll get lost.
- the first day will just be teachers talking about their personal lives and they'll probably make you play one of those silly "get to know eachother games"
- dont worry too much, everyone's too busy freaking out being nervous to notice how freaked out and nervous you are.
- before the first day, see how long it takes you to get ready in the morning, so you'll know when to get up for school.

Classes/studying
- even if you think you don't need to study, just do it anyways. 20 minute study sessions with a 5 minute break always works well for me.
- if you have trouble focusing, here's my stupid trick I use that works 99.9 percent of the time. It's pretty lame, but it works for me. I draw a circle on my hand in sharpie, whenever I feel myself losing focus touch the circle and I pretend its like a power up button to get me to focus. Pretty freaking lame. But it works.
- check your grades regularly. Ask your teachers what you can do to improve your grades. Even if they come off as pricks, they really want to help you.
- do your homework. Seriously. It's work more than you think it is. Plus it helps you study if you actually do if. If you're too lazy for that at least write something so you get the points.
- if you're grads are suffering, seriously, stay in and work on your academics instead of going out with friends. Missing one night with your friends is better than struggling to keep up in school.

Bullies
- yeah, upperclassmen might tease you, but they won't shove you in a locker or anything crazy like in the movies. They just think it's funny to make fun of freshmen. Don't take it personally. Laugh it off, play it cool, you might make a friend.
- if anyone bullies you, there's seriously nothing better you can do than to laugh it off. It's no fun to make fun of someone when they think its funny themselves.

Friends
- dont be friends with jerks. Be friends with people you actually like.
- dont do anything just to fit in. Seriously. Stay true to yourself, what's right isn't usually popular.
- and uh, you know, don't smoke tobacco or shoot heroin. This is half a joke and half serious advise.

Romance
- dont force anything. No matter how lonely you are, or whatever, you shouldn't go out with someone just to go out with them. Seriously, wait unil you meet someone really really great. It'll be worth it.