A Girl’s Middle School Survival Guide

Welcome back everyone!

Today I’m here with more school advice for you all. I realized I’ve been posting a lot of school content more focused towards high school students; however, I have some advice for any incoming middle schoolers out there as well. My brother is going into sixth grade and has been asking me for advice, so this is a topic I’ve been considering writing about anyways. My middle school days are behind me and I don’t have the clearest memory, but they were honestly some really fun years! I definitely learned a lot (after making a lot of mistakes!) and matured from the beginning of sixth grade to the end of eighth, but time seemed to fly by and the whole experience definitely wasn’t as scary as I initially thought.

Here are some tips that will hopefully make your transition into this new and exciting chapter of your life smoother:

Do your best not to worry too much going in – I was freaking out before my first day of sixth grade. I psyched myself out and it just made it that much harder once I actually got to school; at first I was a stressed-out mess, but once I got through my first couple days and realized it wasn’t so bad, I was fine. I could’ve saved myself a lot of stress if I went in with a more positive attitude rather than a nervous wreck one.
You don’t need that much as far as supplies – No longer are the days where you bring a 64-pack of crayons to school everyday! Unless your teachers specifically say so, you won’t need any coloring supplies and extras like that; even if they do say so, you will most likely sparsely use them and there will usually be a class set for everyone to use as well.
No one cares what you wear besides the faculty – By this, I mean that no one is judging your clothes except the school staff dress code monitors. The dress code was extremely strict at my middle school (which is funny because dress code is non-existent at my high school) and constantly enforced. Make sure to follow the rules, but don’t freak out too much about them; you’ll learn what you can get away with eventually.
Attend actual orientation and any optional orientation-type events – Take every opportunity to get acquainted with the school! My middle school had a normal orientation and a separate optional day where you could come and older kids would mentor you, showing you around. I highly recommend going to events like this because you’ll just get more comfortable and meet more people.
Study a map – You most likely won’t get lost (your school is probably a lot smaller than it seems, you’ll see once you get used to it), but it’s still good to be prepared in advance. As soon as you get your schedule, look at the map and figure out where all of your classrooms are and find a possible pathway you can take to get everywhere.
Talk to as many new people as possible – I’m a naturally shy person so I didn’t do this as much as I probably should have, but just try and go out of your comfort zone as much as you can. There are most likely going to be tons of people you’ve never met before; don’t look at this as scary, look at it as a great opportunity to make lots of new friends! Be friendly to everyone- you never know, others could be even more nervous than you are.
Friend groups are definitely going to change – This is a huge one. Some people make friends at the beginning of the year quickly and a new group is formed, some people take a bit longer to make friends (getting to know people in their classes and forming friendships over time), and some people stay with their elementary school group for a bit. Whichever category you fall into, that’s completely fine! Just know that by the end of the year, the social situation will definitely be different- a lot can happen in a year, and it’s okay (and expected!) that you may not be in the same group.
It’s okay if you don’t have classes with your friends – I was freaked out on my first day of school when I realized I didn’t have any classes with my best friend. And you know what? We spent every lunch period just talking and catching up, and we were completely fine! Don’t stress if you think you’re going into your classes alone; you’ll just meet more people that you can befriend and then introduce to your other friends!
Memorize your bell schedule – This will come naturally with time if you have a decent memory, and it’s a great thing to do. My school personally had multiple different schedules (normal, rally/assembly, minimum day Tuesdays, and most Wednesdays/Thursdays with a 30 minute study hall at the end of the day) so it took me a while to adjust to the rhythm of a full week, but you’ll get there in no time. Just figure out when each period starts and ends so you have a handle on when you need to be in class and so you can tell your parents when to pick you up depending on the day’s schedule. It’s also helpful because at the beginning of the year people will constantly be asking, “When does this period end?” and you can answer!
Be prepared for nasty bathrooms – Maybe some schools take care of their bathrooms, but I feel like they’re always going to be pretty nasty, especially if you’re at a public school. Definitely go to the bathroom in the morning before you leave so you have a lesser chance of having to use the school bathroom. You’ll have to eventually, but I would avoid it as much as possible. On the bright side, since no one wants to use them, there’s usually never a line!
Pick out meeting spots with your friends for before school, lunch, and after school – This will save you some stress in frantically searching to find your friends. Choose a general spot or area to meet, and eventually you’ll probably have a table that you usually sit at in the morning/at lunch. For after school, it will probably be different. There was a Starbucks right across the street from my middle school, so my friends and I would meet at the corner and walk across and go there to get picked up most days.
Only go to your locker when absolutely necessary – This will make it easier to get around and you won’t have to worry as much about being late. Like I said before, you don’t need tons of supplies; you should be able to divide your stuff into one large load or two medium size loads. Obviously do what makes the most sense for you; if you have a lot of stuff and your locker is super close to all your classes, it will work out fine to go to your locker between each class. Just consider how much stuff you have and how much time you have to get to class.
Do your own thing- it doesn’t matter what others think – This is super important!! I thought going into middle school there would be this huge social hierarchy and I would have to keep myself in line- I have no idea where I got that from. Once people make new friends and settle into their groups, everyone kind of keeps to themselves. If your friends are genuine and you’re not doing anything bad or wrong, no one should care what you’re doing/wearing. I promise you, no one is going to care- if they do, that’s their problem.
Go to outdoor school – I’m not sure if all schools do this, but the schools in my area send sixth graders to an outdoor camp somewhere (usually close to the beach since I live in California) for a few days. There’s some educational value but it’s also just fun because instead of sitting in class, you’re out hiking and stargazing! I was scared to leave home and go, but I promise lots of other people are in the same boat and once you’re there you’ll all be fine. It’s a great bonding experience with friends and if you end up hating it, you can always go home early.
Respect your teachers – I don’t know why, but lots of people in my middle school classes thought it was funny to make rude comments and jokes about the teachers, or talk back to them. I would strongly advise against doing this; it’s only going to get you in trouble and make you look bad. Be kind to your teachers- they’ll love you for it!
Seek help when you need it – If you’re struggling in classes or just with the adjustment to middle school, ask for help! Stay after class or come in at lunch to the teacher’s classes you’re struggling in and ask questions. Some teachers may even be able to find you a free peer tutor. If you’re just having a hard time with adjusting to the new environment, talk to your counselor or a teacher that you trust. You’re never alone; there’s lots of people who can help you.
Take honors classes as soon as possible – Obviously do what’s best for you and only what you think you can handle, but I would start taking higher level courses as soon as they’re available to you. This puts you on track to take honors/AP classes sooner in high school; people who don’t take any of the available honors courses in middle school will usually have a harder time getting into the honors courses in high school. If that’s the direction you want to go in, start now! It will make it easier on you and it won’t be too intense at first; it will ease you into a harder workload and prepare you for high school.
Choose your electives (and all classes) wisely, especially in eighth grade – This has to do with my last point, but choosing your electives and other classes will set you up for what courses you can take in your freshman year of high school. Electives are especially important because they’re usually extracurricular-type things you can explore further out of school or in high school; if you like to sing and your school has a choir, join it! If you’re in choir throughout your middle school years, you can easily get in a higher level high school choir. Choose things that seem interesting to you- even if you end up not loving it, it will still be a learning experience. Who knows? You may find your passion. Also, they can help you get ahead on credits for high school; my school offered Spanish 1 in eighth grade, so I took it and was able to go into Spanish 2 freshman year of high school which helps a lot.
Try something new; don’t be afraid! – Middle school is probably the first time so many options of courses, electives, and other activities will be available to you. I made the mistake of not really joining anything because I was overwhelmed and didn’t know what activities I would fit into. I did choir in sixth grade as my elective, but that was it. If something interests you, go for it! Don’t worry about who else is doing it or what others will think. Get as involved as you can – it will enrich you and prepare you for balancing activities with schoolwork in high school.
Keep your locker and P.E. locker neat/clean, but don’t go overboard with decorations – I remember I wanted to have the perfect locker in sixth grade. I got locker wallpaper, wall canisters, a carpet, and even a mini chandelier. If you really want to go all out in decorating your locker, more power to you! However, I quickly learned that it was really more of a pain; the decorations take up lots of space and fall frequently (my very overpriced chandelier broke after a week!), and you’ll probably end up taking them out within the first month of school. Having a locker shelf is good because it gives you more space, and a carpet can be good if the bottom of your locker is really nasty, but other than that I would just keep it minimal and leave more room for your stuff. Similarly, some people went all out with their P.E. lockers; they brought extra outfits to change into and keep in their locker, makeup bags filled with tons of toiletries. Again, if you want to do this, that’s completely fine! However, there’s usually not much room in a P.E. locker and you normally don’t have that much time to change, so you may not end up using any of that stuff. I would recommend bringing deodorant, a hairbrush, and maybe dry shampoo and chapstick, but that’s it.
Remember to wash your P.E. clothes!! Also, only once a week is fine – I admit to forgetting this crucial step a lot. Make sure you have a bag to bring your clothes home every Friday and bring them back every Monday – they will get very stinky and gross if you don’t. Some girls tried to bring their clothes home to wash every other day, but I don’t recommend that. You’ll end up forgetting and leaving them at home one day, and even though it’s more sanitary it’s still not needed.
Enforce good study habits now, but also remember middle school grades don’t matter – I agonized over every assignment, test, and grade in middle school. Now that I’m in high school, my middle school grades were nothing but proof I could enter honors classes; they don’t matter at all, whereas high school grades do. I’m glad that I worked hard in middle school because good grades have always been important to me and it prepared me for the classes I’m in now, but I really didn’t need to stress so much over it. Learn how to study and what methods work for you, but don’t spend too much time worrying about school or the future.
If possible, pack a lunch everyday – School food is usually gross and not worth the money. Bring your own lunch with maybe a couple snacks- you might be allowed to eat in certain teachers’ classes. If you don’t have time or forget a lunch, the school food will do; you’ll figure out which food items are better than others.
Bring a reusable water bottle – This is very important on both a practical level and an environmental one!! First of all, it’s just better to use a reusable bottle than a plastic one. Second, your school will most likely have a station where you can refill the bottle throughout the day. This way you’ll always have water with you and you can stay hydrated!
Go to school dances, field trips, events, etc. – Middle school will usually be your first exposure to school dances, which is very exciting!! They’re usually not as formal as it seems in the movies; everyone just wears whatever unless someone says otherwise or there’s a theme. However, they are tons of fun and there’s usually good snacks as well. Try and go to every dance and other event (my school had movie nights, a carnival, etc.) with your friends if you can; it makes for great memories and will just make you feel more involved in the school.
Avoid drama like the plague – It seriously is just a waste of time and energy. Talk things out with people if you have a problem; don’t talk behind people’s backs, it always ends badly and you never know who can overhear or find out. Try not to pick fights with people (I know we all make mistakes though!) and if anything happens, handle it maturely. Forgive others for their mistakes because everyone gets into it at one time or another; the important thing is to move on.
Don’t take anything too seriously – Throughout middle school, I took everything way too seriously and worried way too much. As soon as I got to high school, none of it mattered. People say the same about high school once they get to college (I wouldn’t know yet though!), but for middle school I think it’s even more true. Just enjoy this time and the growing pains it comes with; any drama or issues will work themselves out and you’ll probably forget about them very quickly.
Have fun with your friends and enjoy it while it lasts!! – Try not to think about the future or high school too much; it’s too far to worry about and even though time flies, that’s just more of a reason to stay in the present. My middle school years felt long but short at the same time; it really is an important time to have fun, make new friends, make mistakes, and learn. Have these tips in mind but don’t be afraid to forge your own path and do whatever it takes to make the experience more enjoyable and personalized for you.

I hope this guide helped some of you guys out and calmed any incoming sixth graders’ nerves. I promise everything is going to be okay and it’s not nearly as scary as you think it is; you will all do great and have tons of fun in middle school! If you think something should be added to this list or have any requests for school/middle school related content, please let me know! I’ll be back with some exciting new posts soon 🙂

-Brooke