From AP classes to Friday night football games, starting high school means all new experiences, as well as a healthy dose of anxiety all freshmen seem to experience. Instead of letting this ruin the year, here are some ways to overcome them and make the most of it.

1. Don’t just go to football games, participate in them.

Sitting in the back, not cheering and not matching the theme may seem like the “cool” thing right now, but seriously, no one thinks it is. Football can seem like a lame excuse for popular kids to hang out and watch classmates get tackled, but don’t let that be a deterrent. Friday night games are prime time to meet new people and get to know them better, and you’ll likely even have some fun in the process.

2. Don’t feel like you have to take a million AP classes, but also don’t let people talk you out of taking the classes you want.

Thanks to APs being available for more classes, junior year has a reputation for being the worst workload wise. If you don’t want to take APUSH, don’t take it. Feeling like you need to take it just because all your friends are isn’t enough to justify it, and besides they’ll probably be dreaming of honors American History by the second week.

3. Don’t procrastinate, it will hurt you in the long run.

Having classes every other day can make it easy to push things off till the last minute. If you do the work when it’s assigned and create good study habits, it will be much easier to maintain good grades all year.

4. Take classes that interest you.

Not everything has to be about what looks best on a college application. If you’re really interested in technology or even want to try something out for the first time, like art, take it for you. Designing your entire schedule solely on what colleges want will burn you out eventually. On that note, join clubs that interest you. Instead of focusing on how you don’t know anyone in a club, look at it as an opportunity to get to know more people.

5. Make time for yourself.

Getting good grades is important, but your mental health should always be your priority. Whether it’s meditation or watching a trashy TV show, everyone needs a break. Even if you have 6 hours of homework, take at least 10-20 minutes every once and a while and just relax.