Middle schoolers, are you interested in what to do to prepare for high school? If so, we’ve got you covered — we asked six high schoolers to give advice to middle schoolers, and we summarized some of the main takeaways from their answers. The following question was answered by three sophomores and two juniors.
Bridget L. (10th grade): Try hard to get good grades, but don’t be too upset if you don’t. I’m sure a lot of people are going to tell you that middle school doesn’t matter, and they’re right. It doesn’t actually matter. When you apply for colleges and camps, they don’t look at your middle school grades, they look at your high school ones. Sometimes, I wish I had more fun in middle school. Learn time management, because if you don’t you’re going to really suffer in high school.
Trying your best does not mean you’re going to reach perfection—so don’t sulk if you aren’t getting A’s on all your tests. More importantly, middle school is a time for growth, and it is not the be-all and end-all. Middle school grades carry less weight than high school grades do, so try not to stress too much.
Advait A. (11th grade): My middle school friends won’t be my high school friends.
Always keep yourself open-minded to new friendships and connections, because many things in life are fleeting.
Justin E. (10th grade): Time management.
Having effective planning is essential so assignments don’t pile up.
Amanda W. (11th grade): Do what YOU have liked to do for a long time, pursue your interests, and hobbies, and follow your passion.
Doing things that bring you happiness can help alleviate your stress.
Atharv D. (10th grade): Get into good habits while you still can, have fun, and don't stress out too much.
Analysis: Although it’s good to plan ahead, there’s only so much that you can prepare for. Our middle school years are among our most formative — it’s equally important to spend time building character and working on yourself.
Chloe K. (10th grade): Some subjects may be tough. Success comes in little increments, so just keep pushing and trying your best.
“Trying your best” may seem like someone wants you to be perfect—but it isn’t. It’s about putting your best foot forward and persevering when you hit those bumps along the way.
Students frequently become overburdened with schoolwork and completely forget about the importance of taking breaks and having fun. We interviewed eight students from the seventh, eighth, and high school grades about what activities they like to do during their leisure time. Hopefully, reading these students’ answers will inspire you to try some new activities in your free time.
Bridget L: Is this a question asking what I do to procrastinate on homework? So funny. I draw, watch Youtube, and read.
Jay T: Youtube and going outside and walking and playing a lot of sports.
Aaryan M: I would usually play sports or play an instrument or play sudoku.
Shamak G: I usually watch TV or go outside and play some sports, biking, stuff like that.
A common trend we noticed among the high schoolers is that they enjoy various forms of visual entertainment and physical, outdoor activities.
Isabella Liu: I watch makeup destroying videos ASMR. I also brush my cat's teeth.
Sissi Su: I eat food and more food, and more food, and Starbucks.
Although these students’ interests were not particularly similar, we discovered that watching YouTube, caring for pets (such as walking dogs, cleaning cat litter, and feeding fish), and eating serve as common forms of relaxation.
Sarat C: I play Valorant and watch Youtube. By the way, make sure my name gets in nice and bold.
Audrey S: I watch Netflix, play Roblox, and procrastinate. A lot.
These two seventh graders enjoy watching entertainment and playing a variety of video games. As you can see, a certain seventh grader’s wish to have his name bolded and noticeable was granted.
The majority of the high school and middle school students we spoke with seemed fond of watching television, playing video games, and going outside to play sports. Obviously, these answers are based on personal preferences. However, we strongly encourage you to try one of these activities!