Fresh and in High School

Kath Xing, Staff Writer

Fresh and in High School

Author: Kath Xing

Switching to high school takes some adjusting. For me, it was quite the experience. I recently moved to Pennsylvania from South Carolina, There are differences— to be expected, I suppose. For example, I’m cold and it’s only September. Just think, in January, I’ll have to wade through snow. Fascinating. It never snows in South Carolina.

 

However, the weather isn’t the only thing that changed. Schools did too. I’m a freshman this year, and I will have to get used to some things that changed from middle school to high school. I was wondering how other freshmen are dealing with the switch, so I interviewed some classmates.

 

Dayo Olorunnisolab shared her thoughts with me. “There are definitely differences between high school and middle school. For one thing, there is more freedom, and you have more courses to choose from. I enjoy having that choice.”

 

I agree with Dayo. There’s a wide variety of courses offered here at SCAHS, and having the liberty to choose what you want to learn and experience is exciting.

 

I interviewed Jake Sherbondy next. Jake said, “I attended Mount Nittany Middle last year, and I have to say, State High is larger.”

 

That’s certainly true. I got lost four times on my first day here. State High’s sprawling campus is considerably large. It’s ridiculously easy to get lost within its hallways.

 

“You should keep your schedule and map at close hands during your first week, or until you’ve become more familiar with the campus,” Jake said. That’s pretty solid advice there. I’ll make sure to take it.

 

Mrs. Henderson has been teaching freshmen for a long time, so I asked her for some advice on how to survive high school. Mrs. Henderson was glad to help. “If we’re talking academically, you need to get organized. You have to have a system in place by the end of the first week. You can use your planner, set up a schedule, whatever. There has to be something to keep you organized. If we’re talking emotionally and socially, my biggest advice to you is to find your group of people. Befriend someone who genuinely supports you and wants the best for you. It might be hard to find those people, but keep looking. Find people you feel comfortable and safe around,” Mrs. Henderson said.

 

Those were wise words. I learned a lot through our talk. Procrastination has been a bad habit of mine since elementary school, and I have seen that I need to correct that habit as soon as possible. As for friends, I haven’t gotten the chance yet to really get to know people, but I’m going to keep trying. After all, I’m going to need my friends if I want to survive high school.

 

High school seems extremely intimidating at first, but I don’t feel as anxious now. It was extremely interesting to see how other freshmen are adjusting to high school, and knowing about their experiences make me feel less alone. Now, high school seems more inviting and friendly. I sincerely hope everyone will have a wonderful school year, and I hope they will feel accepted here at SCAHS.