Middle school happens in the way you perceive it, if that makes sense. If you expect that middle school is going to be super bad and you go in with a bad attitude, then it's probably going to be bad. Think positive about all the new opportunities and fun things you'll be able to do in middle school! For me, middle school was actually some of the best years of my life. 

some general middle school "rules" 

1. find your people. I guarantee there is at least one person in your school similar to you that would love to have you as a friend. If you find yourself altering your personality to "fit in" with your group, then those may not be the people that you want to spend your year with. If you have truly good friends in middle school, it'll actually be a great experience, i promise.

2. put in the effort. Don't procrastinate!! If you set aside a good amount of homework time each day and get everything done in a timely manner, things will be much less stressful and much more pleasant.

3. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to try new things or make new friends. Don't be afraid to raise your hand or ask questions. Don't be afraid to be you.

In the end, middle school is only three years, so it's up to you to make the most of it! You can make it great, I promise.

Okay, so I'm late, but I'll throw in my two cents as well (is that how the saying goes? probably not). I was really stressed going into middle school because it was supposed to be this huge time of change and stuff, and it's always portrayed in the media as some sort of nest for gossiping and drama and bad cafeteria food. Let me reassure you, it isn't. First off, I had cafeteria food every day cause it's actually not bad, believe it or not ;) Also, I am 14 years old and graduating from middle school in a few days and I have never dated and/or had a crush on anyone yet, so you really don't have to feel pressured to! Sure, there's some drama with friends and crushes, but it's nowhere near how it looks in movies and whatnot. You shouldn't feel like you need to change who you are now that you're in middle school.

Some advice: make lots of friends!!! Someone before said to 'stay away from the popular kids' or something, to which I have to respectfully disagree with. I have friends in different friend groups, and not all of my friends are all in one place, you know? I know a lot of the 'popular girls' and a lot of them are actually quite nice and not at all as toxic as a lot of people say. There's a bit more drama with them but they're my friends and they all care about each other :)

I hope this helped! 

My school is K-8th, so I never moved to a separate middle school, but I still have some tips!

1. Try lots and lots of new things! You can discover new interests and make new friends if you aren't afraid of branching out a bit!

2. Talk to people and make friends! Having good friends will make your middle school experience so much better!

3. Study! If you learn good study habits in middle school, it will really help when you get into high school!

4. Seek out help if you need it! In my experience, teachers will totally help you with subjects if you're having trouble with them! Don't be afraid to reach out because the truth is that no one can do everything themselves!  

Hope this helped a bit! Middle school can be really fun, so I'm wishing you a great middle school experience. :)  

That's so exciting!

It's true that middle school has some negative aspects. But it's also really FUN in some ways! Here's some tips from someone who's going to be an eighth grader:

Eighth graders aren't scary. Lol when I was a sixth grader I was scared of them, but trust me, we're not really as big and scary as we may seem.

People are going to be really inappropriate. There will be a lot of cropped tops and cursing and talking about stuff that's just really... i don't know. Gross. But you don't have to be part of it.

You might feel like you have no friends. And you might look around and feel like everybody except you has a best friend, but trust me, it's not just you. Everybody questions their friends in middle school. You're not alone!

Your brain and your body are going to change SO MUCH in these three years. Let it happen, and if you find that your interests, or the people you want to hang out with, or the things you want to do and say change, that's okay. It's part of growing up and maturing.

Good luck, Firelily!

~Clementine~ 

Sooo my advice might not be the most universal considering I go to a K-8  small private school but here is my advice.

Before going into middle school, people kept acting like it was this BIG change. We actually have a "transition year" in fifth grade which is supposed to help us get used to it, but even if we didn't, I don't think the change would be that crazy. So, yes. Some things are changed, especially if you go to a new school. But going around to different classrooms and having more homework and teachers isn't all that stressful when you get down to it. 

Speaking of homework, what's important is time management. Oh, and not stressing too much. It's easy to get really stressed on little things. Never pull an all-nighter or stay up too late studying, that'll make you preform worse!

Remember to hang on to old freindships. If you feel like you are missing an old friends, call/text/email them to see how they are doing!  That said, don't be afraid to make new ones! Middle school is a time for change of all sorts, and make sure to adapt to that and find a new, healthy group of friends. :)

Aaand, I think Saffron is trying to say that she wants to text you right now. (etxeu) 

Hey Firelily! Im finishing 6th grade one Friday, and I've been in person most of the year, so here's my advice:

don't be afraid to be yourself! No one in middle school really "fits in". We are all different, and middle school is a place to embrace that!

Make good friends! This is self explanatory

don't be nervous for middle school! It's not the nightmare books make it out to be, it's actually a ton of fun. I love it and I have so much fun there!

don't procrastinate. I can't say that Im the best at not procrastinating... but I know that I usually don't, and it's very helpful.

Have fun! Middle school isn't a scary nightmare, just school. It'll remind you of elementary school in so many ways, just be yourself and don't force yourself to fit in.

oh, and one more: do what you love! If you love singing, then take choir as your elective. Or do a club to relate to that.

So there's my advice! Trust me, you have nothing to worry about! Also follow everyone else's advice, I've seen amazing advice on this thread!

I hope you have a great day!

~Red Starlight