Back to school Tuesday: How to survive your first week at PECI

High school can be daunting at first with the extreme change of setting and pace, the risk of getting lost and the very large and intimidating Grade 12s with facial hair and tattoos.
What not many people realize going into Grade 9 is that there really isn’t anything to be afraid of. High school in real life isn’t anything like it is in the movies. For those of you who are still a little uncomfortable with the idea of your first week in the new setting that is high school, I am here to help! Drawing on experiences accumulated over the past two years I will give you some tips of the trade for surviving your first week of high school. Also note, school maps at the end of the blog. Click to enlarge.

Tip #1- Find your classes early
One of the biggest mistakes I made my first day was trying to find my friends before my classes. Trust me, this is not wise. You will have so much time to find your friends at lunch but for the first couple of days your teachers are still getting to know you and first impressions are important. You don’t want to be known as the kid that won’t show up on time.

Tip #2- When in doubt ask an adult
You may think I’m joking but I’m not. In your first week of school you are still unfamiliar with the layout of the school and taking a wrong turn is almost certain. If you ever get lost it usually isn’t a good idea to ask another student seeing as you will most likely be sent to the art wing and ultimately end up even more lost than when you started. If you have been looking at your map or if you know the high school you will know that there are two second floors, but they aren’t connected, thus resulting in confusion and a very long commute for the art students.

Tip #3- Break and hanging out in the hall
A common mistake many Grade 9s make the first week is when they stand in circles and take up the entire hallway. This only ends up creating a road block and annoying many (if not all) the senior students that have to walk past you. Please save yourself the agony and avoid this situation all together!

Tip #4- The library
This doesn’t apply so much to the first week as it does to your entire year. Many teachers and senior students will tell you it is a good idea to get familiar with the library and its resources early on in your time at P.E.C.I. The library (for those of you that don’t know) is a large room filled with books and computers and other things that if used properly, can only be of benefit to you. In your first week it’s a good idea to go by and check it out. You may be surprised and find you actually like it!

Tip #5- Classroom common sense
The first week of school can be somewhat of a wake-up call for many students. To avoid angering your teachers, it is a good idea to become aware of their rules and expectations andunderstand that these rules may change for each teacher. There are a few rules that stay constant though such as, coming to class prepared and ALWAYS doing your homework on time. Remember that your teachers are there to aid you in learning and they are not there to babysit you! Like I said, use your common sense and be respectful and you will do fine.

Before any of you get overwhelmed remember the first week is well, only a week. Like everything else with time it becomes easier. If there is any advice you take away from here, let it be this, take a deep breath and RELAX! High school can be the best, or worst time of your life, it’s all what you make it. Hope this helped!

Keep in touch: email pecistudentcouncil@gmail.com; follow us on Twitter @PECIstudentcouncil
-Sydnee