10 Reasons Why Is High School Hard? (High school vs middle school comparison)

Are you wondering if high school is hard? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered.

As a recent college graduate, it hasn’t been too long since I was a high school student, so I have a pretty good understanding on how hard high school truly is.

On the surface, high school may seem really hard and intimidating. However, once you get used to the new environment, high school isn’t so bad.

Which raises the question, how hard is high school?

How Hard is High School?

At first, freshmen tend to find high school quite hard. The new environment, increased workload and higher expectations can make high school challenging for new students. Once students adapt to the new environment, they will find high school more manageable and in some cases easy.

In this post, I share 10 reasons why high school is hard, 6 tips to do be successful in high school and I compare high school and middle school.

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10 Reasons Why High School is Hard

1. New Environment

For many high school students, their freshman year of high school is a big change from middle school. The new environment can cause a lot of stress and make it quite challenging for students to learn.

Whether it’s the bigger school or larger class sizes, high school is very different, especially for a freshman.

Many students have trouble adapting to the new environment in high school which can make their first year challenging.

2. Increased Workload

In high school, many students have a difficult time adapting to the increased workload. High school is a big step up from middle school, so it takes hard work to sustain good grades.

It’s no secret that there are harder classes in high school compared to middle school. The classes move at a faster pace and the work expected out of the students is a lot more.

If you want to do well in high school, it will require hard work and effort. Once you understand what the teachers expect out of you as a student, high school becomes much more manageable.

3. Managing Your Social Life

A big challenge for new high school students, is managing their social lives. Part of the high school experience is participating in extracurricular activities, going out with friends and trying new things.

In high school, something I would struggle with, was finding the balance between my social life and school work.

Finding the proper balance at a young age definitely comes in handy later on when you eventually reach college.

Students who have trouble finding the proper balance between their social lives and academics, typically end up not doing well in school. Remember to prioritize your school work and then have fun.

With that being said, high school is a great place to try new things for the first time. Whether it’s playing a sport, getting in a relationship or discovering new interests, high school is a great place to step out of your comfort zone.

4. Homework

In high school, something that catches a lot of students off guard is the amount of school assignments and homework. As a high school student, you will have less free time then you had previously in middle school.

The great thing about high school, is that if you are having trouble with homework you can get help from your teacher. Once you reach college, it will be much harder to get help so take advantage when you are in high school!

It’s also super important to get into the habit of always completing your homework on time. Doing your homework will guarantee good results on tests and it’s a good habit to get into once you reach college.

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5. Pressure From Parents

Many high schoolers face immense amounts of pressure from their parents. It’s very common for parents to have high expectations out of their children which can make high school very stressful.

Doing well in high school is important as it will play a roll in what college you attend. As a high school student, it’s important to put in effort and try your best.

6. SAT Preparation

High school seniors and students in their junior year have to start preparing for the SAT exam. As a Canadian, SAT’s are not something that I ever had to do, but it is no secret that SAT’s are very stressful for older students in high school.

A large part of many student’s senior year in high school is preparing for the SAT exam. Those test scores are crucial for many students to attend the college that they want.

7. Social Pressure

Many students struggle with social pressure in high school. Dealing with peer pressure, social dynamics, or the need to fit in is a real challenge for many high school students.

Nowadays, many young students are constantly comparing themselves to others because of social media apps like TikTok and Instagram. Social pressure can get to high school students, and it could get in the way of their academic success.

Some students are very competitive, which can be another cause for social pressure. Parents of high school students must reassure their teenagers and let them know they are doing a good job.

8. Lack of Individual Attention

In contrast to middle school, high school students will get less attention from the teacher. Generally, high school teachers have many more students, which can make it harder for them to spend time individually with students.

Many students benefit from getting individual attention from their teacher. However, this is only realistic for some high school students.

An excellent solution to this issue is getting a tutor. A tutor is a great resource to learn in a one-on-one setting, ask questions, and get help

9. Personal Issues

High school is a transitionary period in many teenager’s life which can lead to personal issues. Many high school students will deal with family problems, mental health issues, health issues, or personal relationships, which can make high school harder.

It’s important for high school students to feel like they have someone they can be open with. Whether it’s a faculty member at school or a family member at home, many high school students need guidance and somebody they can talk to.

10. Bullying

Many high school students will face bullies or peer conflict, which can make their high school experience hard. Nowadays, many high schools try their best to prevent conflicts among students and bullying.

6 Tips to Do Well in High School

1. Create Good Habits

The best time to start creating good habits is in high school. Being organized, paying attention in class and not procrastinating are the key habits you need to be successful in high school.

One bad habit that effects many high school and college students is procrastinating. As a procrastinator myself, an easy way to handle this is by managing your time.

Time management will make you more productive than ever. It’s really easy to do, it just takes discipline. Creating a schedule and sticking to it is a great habit to get into. It will come in handy in college and later on in life once you reach the real world.

2. Pay Attention in Class

The thing about high school classes, is that they’re filled with distractions. It’s important to avoid distractions in class and pay attention.

No matter how boring a class is, make sure that you are paying attention. If you go to class just to talk or go on your phone then you are wasting your time.

Since you are already attending class, you might as well pay attention and learn. If you can focus in class and avoid distractions, you will do well in high school.

Paying attention in class will benefit you later on, once you get to college as classes will be much larger and teachers will not care if you aren’t doing well.

3. Be Organized

One of the best things you can do to make your high school years easier, is getting in the habit of staying organized. Here are some ways to stay organized in high school:

Write down important dates
Keep important papers in a folder
Do your homework right away
Have different notebooks for each class
Create a to-do list

Here are some products that help with organization:

A good agenda

Folders (see price on Amazon)

Notebook

4. Do Your Homework

In high school, if you want to do well then you have to do your homework. Trust me I know, homework sucks.

However, even if you’re tired from doing school work all day, make sure you take the time to do your homework.

If you get into the habit of staying on top of your homework then you will do really well in high school. Homework is a great way to review and practice what you’ve been learning in class.

Once you get to college, you will have plenty of assignments tests and exams. Getting in the habit of doing your homework on time will prevent you from being extra stressed once you reach college.

5. Ask Questions in Class

In high school, don’t be afraid to ask questions in class. It’s better to ask a question than to not understand what you are learning.

Classes in high school move very quickly, especially math classes. If you don’t understand something it only gets harder to understand things in class later on.

6. Get Extra Help

If you’re in high school, there is nothing wrong with getting extra help. Whether it’s seeing a teacher after class or going to a school counselor for advice the school offers resources to help it’s students.

When I was in high school, I had many difficulties learning. If it wasn’t for the teachers helping me outside of class, then I would’ve struggled a lot more.

Getting that extra help will only benefit you. All it takes is a bit of time and effort.

If you show your teacher that you are eager to do well in the class then they will take that into consideration when they grade you.

How Much Harder is High School Than Middle School?

High school is a step up from middle school, and some students find it quite challenging. The increased workload, harder learning material, and higher expectations can be a big transition for middle school students.

The difficulty of high school can vary depending on individual experiences, school systems, and personal experiences.

For example, some high school student has no problem during this transitionary period. While other students have a lot of difficulty.

Being successful in high school depends on the teacher and how much effort the student is willing to put in. If the high school student is willing to work hard and the teacher is good, the student will be successful.

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Final Thoughts on Is High School Hard?

There’s no question that high school is hard, but there are many ways to make it easier. Creating good habits as soon as possible will be very useful later on in life.

In this post I share why high school is hard and some tips to be successful in high school.

Do you think high school is hard? Please let me know in the comments below how you manage it.