Walking up to the intimidating, towering East Campus for the first time has the potential to fill you with a variety of emotions.

There’s the overwhelming anxiety that accompanies the first day at a new school, the grief of knowing that summer is actually over, and just a hint of excitement to finally be one of the “big kids.”

Sophomore year can be scary, and no matter how hard you try, the upperclassmen will still scoff and roll their eyes as you walk past, but here are some ways to avoid being “that sophomore.”

First off, DO NOT use the P Stairwell as your main stairwell. Believe it or not, there are other staircases in the school that will most likely be closer to your destination.

The first few weeks of school are infamous for the P Stairwell clogging, which is really inconvenient for anyone trying to walk through the main hall or go to a classroom in the tunnel next to the stairwell.

Instead, try to find another stairwell that may be closer to your class. If your room is in the back of the school, the L and M Stairwells may be good alternatives.

Please DO NOT stop in the middle of a doorway/hallway to talk to your friends. We get it, you’re excited to see everyone, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut off a hall full of people in the process.

No one likes that kid, and if you do it enough, you’re bound to get body checked by an angry upperclassman.

If you aren’t prone to chatting in the hallways, please don’t walk through the halls staring at your phone. No one likes a slow walker either.

More hallway advice: please DO NOT wear your headphones while walking through the hallway. There’s a very specific type of person who does this and it’s just irritating. I think you can wait a few hours until the end of the day/your next free period before listening to that song you just need to hear.

Also, when you’re listening to music, you’re more likely to be spacing out and causing a traffic jam in the hall.

Speaking of hearing, be careful what you’re yammering on about. While sitting in the library or the hallway, there’s nothing more annoying than hearing someone complain about their schedule/homework/classes.

DO NOT be the person that talks about their level 4 classes whenever they can. I can guarantee that no one, not even your friends, care what level classes you’re in or how much homework you have tonight.

When navigating the school, please DO ask for help. New Trier has an enormous campus and everyone has been lost at some point (sometimes the seniors still get lost, whether or not they’d like to admit it).

Anyone that you see in the hallway is more than willing to help you find your way, don’t let their blank stare and irritated facial expression scare you.

This next piece of advice might be a little off putting, but DO talk to upperclassmen. There are definitely right and wrong times to try and make friends with them, but any of them would love to be your friend.

If there’s a junior in your class that tells great jokes and seems like fun to be around, don’t be afraid to talk to him/her. No one will be mad at you for trying to be nice.

Even though New Trier has a reputation for being full of “basic white girls” and preppy boys, please DO be your own person.

A lot of people give this advice, but that’s because it’s incredibly important. If you really like to play basketball or want to join debate but don’t have any friends in either, try them anyway. High school is for doing what you enjoy, not what everyone else thinks is cool. Don’t be afraid to be yourself.

Although sophomore year has only just begun, you’ll be a senior before you know it, so cherish your time at New Trier before it’s gone.

High school is what you make it, so you might as well make it something enjoyable.