Starting high school is a tough, but exciting

experience. It was for me, and it might be for

you. When I first stepped my steps into James
Ruse Agricultural High School as a fresh, new
Year 7, I was extremely nervous. It was an all-
new experience, being in a different school
with much older students, compared to
Primary school, where you were the highest
grade in the school. It sometimes even felt a bit
intimidating to be there. You would most likely
go through the same experience, so be ready to
learn some tips to kick-start your six years in
James Ruse.

Your family, friends and school are the main factors in

your time at James Ruse. They play a major role in shaping
how you think about yourself and others. Just remember
that you are who you are; you decide who you are and how
you are going to be. Of course, don’t disobey teachers, but
don’t be influenced by bad examples. I trust you would
know how to tell apart a good example from a bad
example. You might come across a time when your family
pressures you to do something, such as a program or class
that you don’t want to join. If so, It is fine, if you think it
doesn’t harm you to try, why not do it? Remember, year
seven is a time to try out new things. Just make sure you
believe in yourself and make your own decisions.

Many adolescents, perhaps including you, are just experiencing going through puberty
during their time in year seven. You may notice some strange changes to your body.
However, that is perfectly normal; in fact, everyone will eventually go through puberty,
some earlier than others, and some later. Puberty is simply when your body changes as
you grow up. It is completely fine, even if you seem to look different to others and your
old self; you don’t have to think too much about how you look, as usually, that is
unimportant. Personally, I haven’t gone through puberty yet, so I can’t really offer much
advice, however, what I definitely know, is that you should imagine you never noticed
those changes, and just continue to do things as you did before.
 However, some problems brought along with puberty
could include emotional or temper unbalances, such as
depression, anger and other problems. Sometimes, you
can really lose control of your emotions. The best
solution for this, I believe, is just to stop being self-
conscious, and definitely stop panicking and thinking
about things like “I’m going to fail” or “I can’t finish my
homework on time” like I did. This is further
complicated as James Ruse Agricultural high school is
not your average high school. It is one of academic
excellence, meaning high standards for your work. Don’t
overthink or overstress yourself, as it is not only bad for
your health, but it is also bad for your mind. Take it at
your most comfortable speed. Of course, don’t lag your
homework behind, try to finish it, otherwise, there might
be some unwanted consequences.

Friends, another important part of your

experience at James Ruse. Your social life is
crucial to maintain. My advice for you is to
maintain a good image for your teachers.
Also, I believe that you should meet more
people and make some friends with people
you think are exemplary, just as long as
you are not like me when I started high
school, shying away from everything and
not interacting with anyone except for my
friends from my year six school.
Eventually, I realised that there were lots of
people from other schools that were now
with me in James Ruse who were equally
amazing, with their own definition of
interesting. Be more social, and if you are
shy, like me sometimes, try to overcome
your fears, and just have some fun!
 There also could be many other problems you may encounter starting in a new
environment. For instance, in James Ruse, the dress code is very strict. There’s a chance
that you would be told off by a teacher just because you forgot to button up the topmost
button on your shirt. Even if the temperature is really high, you are still expected to
wear your blazer to school assemblies! Other problems include finding your
classrooms. Sometimes, your printed timetable may be outdated, showing a different
classroom to the one you are supposed to be in, therefore resulting in you being late for
class. To prevent this, I suggest double-checking your timetable on Sentral in the
morning, and leaving recess or lunch earlier if your classroom is on the opposite side of
the school. Some more things that are harder to adapt to might be the fact that all the
rules are much stricter, so what you might have done before in primary school, such as
causing trouble in class (especially me), would not be so easily forgiven. One main
trouble I suffered with before was concentrating. I was easily distracted, and often
ended up looking out the window or doing other stuff not really related to the
classwork, such as chatting with my friends. Whatever you are doing, just remember
these potential issues, and try to avoid them.

Overall, I think the best advice would be

just to try out some new activities that
perhaps you have never done before and
look interesting, and also take things at
your own pace, not stressing yourself, but
trying to push yourself to do more. Your
journey in high school has just begun, so
have some fun exploring the school, and
cherish your first few years, when
homework and assessments are simple
and scarce. Follow these steps, and you
are sure to have a great year at James
Ruse agricultural high school, the top
school in the state!