On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, "You're nervous and that's okay. Everyone is afraid of high school." I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends. On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn't figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be? I didn't think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it! The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right. Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out. With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging. Since then, I've been elected vice monitor of my class, which wasn't much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions. It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you participate in some outofclass activities because you'll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn't straight A's. Most important of all, be who you are, whether you're a "fool", an athlete, or a lower grader. Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. Now you know the true secrets of high school. The main reason for the author's fear on his first day is that   _  .
he was unable to work out the puzzle his schoolmates were unfriendly to him he was not familiar with the new surroundings his schoolbag was too heavy for him to carry