For 900 kids, Aug. 10 was the start of a new period in their lives: the start of high school. More than half of students said they didn’t know how to survive high school or its unspoken rules.

Newsome opened its doors on Friday, Aug. 10 to a freshmen class that pushed its student body to over 3,000 students, which means there is an overwhelming amount of advice ready to go around.

Alexa King, a sophomore, said she was happy her freshman friend, Harper Kinninger, was adjusting to Newsome. King said it is important to make people feel welcome, and to always be their best selves. When asked if she had any more advice King said, “don’t act lost if you are lost, because it’s funny for the rest of us to watch.”

When it comes to the clothes you wear or the kind of haircut you want to sport, Delaney Johnston, a senior, says it “doesn’t matter what you look like.” Johnston said what you look like on the outside is nothing compared to the work that you do in and for school. “It’s just school, you’re here to learn.”

Similar to Johnston, senior Raja Jagnandan says “no matter what happens, school is your number one priority.” Strong willed and strong faced, Jagnandan tells freshmen that the best thing that they can do is to not let anything get in the way of keeping up your grades and the work you put into school.

Another piece of advice Jagnandan had for freshmen was, “don’t play catchup.” When students procrastinate, especially freshman, their grades and work ethic can slip and tumble down a dark hole. Don’t play catchup, because the person ahead will always win.

Sophomore Acasia Sallis advises to “keep it simple, and don’t get caught up in drama.” Sallis says it isn’t worth anyone’s time and can get in the way of a healthy and successful school year. Sallis also says its best to make a schedule. Like many students at Newsome, a planner or daily schedule keeps school separate from life and makes for an easy transition from one to the other.

To Elisabeth Gordon, a sophomore who goes by ‘Libby,’ the most important thing to do is to “do the work, because you’ll fall behind a lot.” She says she procrastinates and wishes she hadn’t done so earlier. Like many high schools across the country, the school lunches aren’t exactly five stars. Gordon says that the lunches should be avoided, except for the treats and chips they have for sale.

Needless to say there are those who will not stagger or fall behind their classmates, but with a constantly replenishing student body comes new words of wisdom that anyone can take in. If you are a freshman or just a struggling somebody, listen and take note of what the rest of the Newsome student body has to offer.