Freshman year can be terrifying. Especially when your high school expectations originate in Coming of Age movie myths. While no one at Rye Country Day is getting shoved in lockers or hunted by an evil principal, success in the Upper School does take quite a bit of strategic navigating. Luckily, the Rye Crop has compiled the advice of students and faculty to save the freshman some trial and error.

The Rye Crop’s Top Four Tips for Surviving Freshman Year

1. Find Your People

Building a support system is essential. You’ll want to have faculty and fellow students in your corner.

Finding faculty you can trust to help you make academic decisions or offer advice is invaluable. The school’s four-person counseling team is automatically in your corner, ready to provide any support and guidance you may need along your journey. Along with the counseling team, these trusted adults can be anyone: deans, coaches, teachers, advisors- the list is endless. And a solid support system is incomplete without peers. Close connections in your grade are always helpful; classes feel somewhat easier when you have people to study with.

Kamauru Johnson, Director of Counseling, emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself as you begin to build relationships in the Upper School: “There’s a feeling that ‘If I don’t have ten friends on the second day of school, I’m behind.’ Connections take time to build.” He recommended joining sports teams, school productions, clubs, and any other group activities to naturally establish these bonds.

But don’t limit your circle to other freshmen. Whether it be homework help or course selection tips: the upperclassmen are an advice gold mine. Two ways to connect with upperclassmen include the Peer Leadership program and sports. When we spoke to Assistant Athletic Director and coach, Georgette Summers, she explained how connecting with upperclassmen during fall preseason “allows you to walk in the Pinkham Building on the first day with this family. It’s priceless. And those bonds continue throughout the season and year.”

2. Communicate

Communication is key to navigating all aspects of your life at RCDS.

How frustrating is it when your group project, due tomorrow, is nowhere near finished? Or when your teachers fail to tell you about the quiz in two days? Now imagine being a teacher finding out that a third of their class is leaving early for sports minutes before. Pretty frustrating right? 

Summers emphasized the importance of communication when it comes to balancing sports and academics. She explained that teachers tend to be more lenient about early dismissals and homework extensions when they are notified in advance, and especially when students have good email etiquette. 

Some pro tips for email etiquette:

• Responding to emails within 24 hours
• Making your subject short yet specific
• Using complete, grammatically correct sentences
• Using professional salutations and sign-offs

Both teachers and peers alike appreciate being kept in the loop so communicate, communicate, and communicate some more!

3. Try New Things

High school is the prime time for exploration. Try new sports, clubs, and electives to discover interests you didn’t know you had!

One senior advised freshmen to “Do things that excite you! Even if your friends aren’t interested, it’s worth pursuing– that’s how you end up sticking with activities for four years.”

When you join extracurriculars that you are passionate about, it’s easier, not to mention more fun, to get involved! Whether you show up to every meeting or help run a booth at the fall fair, no effort goes unnoticed. Getting involved is the perfect way to set yourself up for leadership positions as an upperclassman, or even a sophomore!

If you have an interest that isn’t currently represented in RCDS’ club catalog, start it! Starting a club is one of the best ways to find people with a similar niche interest! Some new interest clubs include the History Club, the Card Games Club, and the Bioethics Club!

Outside of clubs, there are countless ways to get more involved in the RCDS community. Keep an eye on Schoology for announcements about different committees, event-organizing opportunities, and more!

4. Protect Your Time

It’s essential that while you are trying new things and meeting new people, you are protecting your free time!

Johnson said, “We need to normalize setting boundaries around our time.” RCDS students tend to overload themselves. He emphasized the importance of honest decision-making as we build our schedules: “It’s okay to take a step back and pare down to what you are most interested in.” Johnson stressed the importance of “preserving your frees” for study time, socializing, or simply taking time to yourself throughout the day.

Time management skills are the key to maintaining a healthy balance within your schedule. Johnson suggested pairing Schoology with an online calendar to keep track of upcoming assignments and assessments. Observing your productivity throughout the week may also be helpful; if you find yourself being less productive during certain hours, don’t force it! Take that time to relax and recharge rather than stressing over your inability to get work done.

Final Words of Advice

While tips and tricks can certainly be useful on your quest through freshman year, there is no single approach. Each student has their own path, so don’t stress if your friend’s experience is different from your own. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends and faculty; remember that the RCDS campus is full of people willing and eager to support you for the next four years.