The most important thing you can do is to read. Read secondary sources (those written by historians about the past) and read primary sources (things written in the past). Try to be well-read, which means reading the classics. If you are inclined to a particular area and period, that's fine, but try to branch out and read the standard sources for other areas and times.

If you are interested in a specific place and period, don't hesitate to drill down and become an expert - as much as that term does or can apply. If you are interested in that sort of specialization, as you drill down, pay attention to conflicting views of the past among historians - the arguments they are having with one another. That will help you understand how the craft of history is actually practiced. But while drilling down, again, try to branch out and read other sources.

When you have read something, whether you think you fully understand it or not, ask /r/askhistorians for feedback and perspective. Engage in discussion about these sources so you gain other perspectives and hone your skills.

And finally, write whenever you can. Ask your teachers to provide serious editorial criticism and look at what they are suggesting, and take their advice seriously. History is about reading, but it is also about writing.

Good luck.

Awww, we like to catch them while they're young. I mean in the most non creepy pedo way ever.

History is huge, first let's narrow down the field. Do you like modern, pre-modern or ancient history? What country/region you want to study? How are your language skills? If you pick a country/region outside of your local area, you'll be way better off learning a 2nd (or 3rd) language.

As you go through HS, the best advice I can give you is to start eyeballing colleges by their History departments. Befriend one of your history teachers, they will be someone who can help you with college applications etc. etc. Independent reading of your favorite historical areas are also a must to give you that edge once you're college ready.

As much as some people may hate it, reading historical fiction set in the period that you eventually settle on is also a nice thing to do. You read history without the heavy density of facts, and the more you read factual books, the more you'll love historical fic when its accurate and rage when it's not. Doing the latter shows that you've retained and learned what you read from the tomes.

Get comfy with reading and writing a lot and a long academic haul. Most history departments in the US won't higher you without at least a MA degree.

Take one language at minimum. Take two if you can. Learn a third and a fourth if you can swing it. The more language skills you have the more sources you can access.

Past that, there are two hugely important things that I didn't quite grasp early on in my academic career. The first is that the people that get degrees and doctorates are the people who show up. Day after day, week after week, be sure you're showing up. Show up for class. Show up for office hours (more on this in a sec). Show up for voluntary stuff. Show up to your professor's pet projects. Others will be smarter than you--make sure you out-work them.

With my background (growing up on a farm, going to a tiny school) I also didn't get the importance of networking. Show up for office hours with a question from the reading. Make friends with your professors. Ask their input on things you're working on. Follow through on their suggestions. When those professors ask you to help work on a project, do it. That professor that you helped set up the room for a showing of their favorite historical movie on campus just might be the prof who gives you a glowing recommendation to your dream school.

So:

• pick up as many languages as you can
• show up
• network, especially with your professors

Other than that, make sure to have fun. We historians have a reputation for being stodgy and cynical, but most of us followed our passions to get here. Feed that passion. Whatever the subjects, follow that passion. Do some silly history too.

Oh, and the best advice I got too late for college was this: sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as you can.

Can I study archaeology and history at thebsame time?

Start taking a foreign language asap. German and French are both very good if you plan on studying European history (among others). Other languages are good too, but their usefulness is more narrow to specific regions or time periods. Get into dual credit/AP languages if you can.

Since you're so young, don't limit yourself to only one subject (ie WWII, Napoleon, etc). Read what interests you, obviously, but also step outside your box and study China, Africa, Russia, etc.

Research colleges you want to go to. How good is their history program? Are there opportunities to study abroad (do this! )? Do they have a good research library, talented faculty, etc?

Minor in something other than history if you can. A language is good, but so are "unrelated" skills like computer science.

Become advanced in the language you've already studied, or become moderately skilled in another.

Look for opportunities to research or participate in history outside of the class. Honor societies, conferences, clubs, etc. Get an internship if you can find one.

Become best buds with your profs. They're the ones who will write your recommendation letters.

Start researching grad programs early. Do they offer a program in a field that interests you? What kind of funding do they have? What are their job placement stats? Talk with a graduate advisor to help you figure out what requirements you need to meet and how you can apply.

From there, work hard and don't give up.

If I could narrow all that down to one piece of advice it would be do your work.

(archaeologist here) please remember that history is not just "Great Deeds of Important Men" but also the story of stuff. It is crucially imoportant that you take time to visit museums, consult archaeologists, art historians, and people who recreate historical crafts and artifacts.

It will make you a much better historian (and will be loads of fun) not to just learn what a certain king or president did, but also what he wore, ate, what art and music he appreciated. How was his home heated? How expensive was bread at the time and how was it made?

I saw that you played age of empires. If you like these kind of tactical games, you should really check out the Europa Barbarorum mod for Rome Total War. The mod is historically very accurate and you'll learn a lot about the world of the roman republic in an engaging way. Best of luck to you!

seriously, learn french and german. that is the most helpful. you're not going to get a very good historical education in high school. sorry hs teachers out there, but many college history courses are about picking apart narratives learned in high school. french and german are useful languages no matter what type of history you do with the exception of maybe a few more obscure subfields. if you have those, you can start to learn the languages you will need to learn, like greek, latin, akkadian, japanese, chinese, akkadian, syriac, classical arabic, whatever. just learn your languages.

Any tips for giving lectures or orals now and in the future. How to minimise nervousness and not bore people as id like to lecture while studying my Phd