A Secret Mentor in the Locker

I felt nervous and worried because I was about to jump into a completely new world. All my best friends and I had hoped to go to the same high school, but I was the only one who would attend a different one. I was not sure if I could adapt to the new environment. I was on the phone with my friends till late. We talked about what life in high school would be like, and I hardly slept at all. The next morning I got up late and was late for school. The homeroom teacher looked very strict, and all my new classmates looked unfriendly. Even worse, I brought the wrong textbooks and I could not concentrate in class because I had not slept enough. At the end of the day, the homeroom teacher assigned each of us a locker. I got locker number thirteen! I have always hated this number. I thought my high school life would not be easy. When I opened the locker, I found a small notebook with some words written on the cover: “To an Unknown Freshman.” I felt curious and opened the notebook. Hello. You must be nervous and worried about how to survive your first year of high school, right? That is exactly how I felt on my first day, so I made this as my final term project in English class. I hope it will help you make the most of your high school years.

Top Four Tips
Get enough sleep. If you do, you can stay fully awake and concentrate better in class.
Learn to say no. Sometimes things will keep you from focusing on your studies, but you have to learn to say no to them to be a successful student.
Ask questions. Confucius once said, “The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, but the man who does not ask is a fool for life.”
Remain humble and open-minded. When someone gives you advice, listen to it and follow it if it makes sense. 

Show Your True Colors
When I started high school, I was caught up in popularity contests. I often spent all my pocket money buying snacks for my classmates. To make friends with the “cool kids,” I often acted as if I were the kind of person they wanted me to be. I was afraid to show my true self. However, it did not take long to learn that all the effort was useless. When I was in the hospital for two weeks, not one of the kids I had tried to impress visited me. To my surprise, the two quiet boys I had barely talked to came and cheered me up. I learned an important lesson: pretending to be someone else does you no good. It is better to be yourself and show your true colors.

Get Involved
High school is more than just schoolwork, so find your interests and pursue them by joining school clubs. This offers many benefits. For instance, club activities can relieve stress from schoolwork. They also help you meet people who share the same interests and make it easier to become friends with them. Moreover, some of these new friends may be students from the upper grades who can tell you how to deal with classes and teachers. You could instantly learn tips that took them a year to learn.

A Poem for You
Here is a poem that I would like to share with you. I hope you keep its message in mind: high school happens only once, so try to stay positive and make the most of it. Good luck!

Life is like a piece of art.
Don't be afraid. Follow your heart.
Choose your paint and your brush.
Take your time; avoid the rush.

As I closed the notebook, I felt warm and confident. Thank you, my secret mentor!

Mentor Becomes a Mentor
Do you know how the word “mentor” has come to refer to a person who gives a younger or less experienced person help and advice? The word originates from Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus, King of Ithaca, had to leave home to fight in the Trojan War. Before he left, he asked an old, wise, trusted friend, Mentor, to take care of his son, Telemachus. While King Odysseus was away, Mentor was a friend and a teacher to Telemachus. Thus, Telemachus grew up to be a fine young man. After the war, King Odysseus tried to return home, but he was forced to wander for years. Athena, Goddess of War, assumed the form of Mentor and appeared to Telemachus. She performed the same role as Mentor. With the help of Athena, Telemachus was able to protect himself in times of difficulty and succeed in finding his father.