Hm, if there's one thing I would say it'd be this.
Develop your study habits. Now that you're right out of freshman year, there's no doubt that your future high school years will become progressively difficult. But of course, that's nothing to get worked up about!
In general:
1.) Keep ALL your work. You'll never know when you'll need it. Use it as reference and also just in case your teacher decides to check up on your assignments throughout the year. Perhaps
this will help with organization!
2.) Make your notes brief and clear. That way there won't be much hassle when you're trying to decode your notes. Trust me, crafting your note-taking style is vital.
Here is a page on my blog that I think will help you on taking notes.
3.) Time management. Woo boy, this one is hella important. With all those classes, try creating a timed schedule so that you can make the best out of your studying! Maybe like 30 minutes of geometry, a 30 minute break, and then another 30 for I dunno Algebra II. I call this my 30-30-30 method. I mean you don't have to do this either, create your own way of dividing up your time among each class that you have!
This is a time-management post that I think is great to use as reference!
4.) Don't ever over-work yourself. Your health is the most important thing to you. If you've had enough, don't be afraid to just drop your books and take a breather. Getting 8-9 hours of sleep is literally a blessing nowadays.
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For your math classes, pay extra attention. Might be cheesy to say, but only because you're going to have to be able to remember how to do problems specifically. Keep your formula sheets. Here are some cheat sheets for
Algebra II and
Geometry. Be sure to add in important rules and such onto your notes. From my own experience, you're going to be needing lots of Post-Its for this class.
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Chemistry. I harbor a love-hate feeling for this class. Here is where I think creating diagrams/mnemonic devices will come in handy. For this class, don't be afraid to go a little crazy with your notes. Use colors. Create concept maps and pictures. Lots of them. Also, be careful during labs! You might be handling harmful chemicals.
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French. Never really had a foreign language class. I guess all I can say is make flashcards and study with other people. I can't really help you with this, I apologize.
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English. My favorite class from sophomore year! Brush up on your vocabulary. I'm not sure how your writing will be graded, but having a mature prose will definitely give you some automatic points! Be super detailed in your commentary. When you write about something, include things like cause/effect, personal experience, your analysis and connections to similar things, etc.
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And to make this year great? Don't be afraid to be out there! Join a club! Start one!
STUDY GROUPS. Can't tell you how many friends I've made with having a study buddy! A lot of people, sure, don't like high school for how stressful it is. But when you look back, you're going to love it.
I hope all of this helps in some way! You're going to do great!
