Ah, the first day of high school.

I had to face these challenges just one year ago; where to sit at lunch, how to navigate the halls, and wait, “You mean period one isn’t always the first period of the day?”

It can be daunting.

Thankfully for this year’s freshman class, I’m here to help.

1. mySHS app: I recommend you download the mySHS app, which will give you the two essentials you need for the week: your schedule and your lunch wave.

2. Schedules: Once you have a schedule in hand (whether it’s your mySHS app or good old fashioned paper), it isn’t too complicated. Just glance at your schedule before your next class, and you’ll know where you’re heading.

As far as your lunch wave, if you don’t know when it is, just go to the class you have for lunch, and if no one shows up, chances are you have first lunch, or maybe they are just as confused as you (but you’ll get through it).

3. Navigation: You may now be wondering, I know when my class is, but where in this giant building is it? The basic information you need to know is that any room in the 1000s is on the first floor, any in the 2000s is on the second, and 3000s are the top level.

I suggest, however, you just attempt to find your way around, and if you get lost, ask for help from teachers or upperclassmen.

Learning to find your way around can be challenging, and the experience of trying for a week is the best way to learn. By the end of the week, you’ll know where everything is.

4. Lunch: I do not suggest attempting to wait in the long line for a sandwich your first week, since it will only make your day harder. No one wants to spend their entire lunch waiting in line and then scramble getting to class.

Scratch that last part, the sandwiches are well worth it if you have the patience to wait. I could sit here and suggest all my favorites, but that would be a different article altogether.

5. Homework/Getting Ahead: My last piece of advice is to always try to get ahead on assignments so you never hit the moment of despair in which you realize you’ll be up until 2 a.m. If you ever hit that, caffeine does help.

Well, Class of 2018, I hope these tips relieve some of your jitters.  Manage your time, don’t procrastinate, and relax. It’ll be ok. Even if the upperclassmen wanted to throw you into a locker, they couldn’t; no one knows their locker combination anyway.