Within my first week of high school I have learned ten fairly crucial things.

1. For the next four semesters I will without a doubt to any upperclassmen always be known as a "f***ing freshman"

No matter how properly and perfectly you scale the staircases during transition periods, anyone who is over the age of fifteen, or above the grade of nine will most likely be muttering about the "f***ing freshman." Despite the fact that some of them just a few a months ago were navigating the same hormone-infested stairways just as we are now.

2. You can lose your good reputation just as soon as you can receive one.

Surprisingly, it seems that most of the freshman class and a handful of sophomores know my name...all the same by Friday I was a lowlife s*** to over ten people and counting based off a misunderstanding of a fairly truthful rumor I honestly did not mean to start.

3. You can't wait for someone to approach you.

While I did not waste my time and ended up approaching every possible new friend and new romantic interest, I felt depressed that they weren't approaching me. The truth is, most people are actually a lot more shy than I am, and I just happen to be the one with the courage to go up to someone. In the end I can still make their acquaintance without them initiating a conversation.

4. Cheerleaders aren't always the cliche, mesmerizing, and conniving girls you see in the movies.

Cheerleaders definitely have ceased to grab majority of the school's attention, and proved themselves less than tv-ready at Saturday's football game. The sparkles on their big bows are blinding, and the cheers are evoke little to no school pep whatsoever.

5. Don't sit on the senior steps.

It is not no big deal when you sit in the designated senior zone...especially as a freshman. While there is no official sign labelling the central steps senior property, there is a magical aura of protection bordering the area. If one should dare to enter the sector, they shall be cursed by the wraith of the upperclassman, and feared by all of the ninth grade.

6. I shouldn't have worried so much.

Yeah, the difficulty of coming in as a freshman is different depending on the person, I can almost guarantee none of us should have wasted as much time as we did preparing for this new chapter of our lives. We've grown up fearing the mean girls and the jocks that supposedly torment the halls that revolve around our future higher education, but really the most difficult part of getting around is shoving your way through a crowd.

7. You can have more than one group of friends.

It is important to find the people you can most rely on and to band together, but it doesn't hurt to have some other friends. You are allowed to branch out. You can still have amazing people in your life, at the same time as a few other ones to rely on.

8. Talk to your parents.

Maybe this only applies to a certain group of people with understanding parents, but if you need advice and have that adult in your life, go to them. Don't shut them out, because in the end your best friend is going to give much less life experience-based advice than a parent will.

9. Talk to your desk-mate.

Whoever you sit next to in class is waiting to be your friend. Teacher says something dumb? Snicker with your desk-mate. Need some help with the work? Go ahead, ask your desk-mate. Think your desk-mates cute? Talk to your desk-mate.

10. Be yourself!

As cliche as it sounds, you can only find where you belong and who your true friends will be by being yourself. It's not true that if you're good at math you're an unlikeable nerd. None of it is true, so be yourself! I command you!