By, Maisie Shea | Writer
June 1, 2016
Freshmen year is by far the most confusing and impressionable year of high school. Where to sit, what to wear, and who to talk to are just some of the things that are constantly consuming 9th grade brains.
My freshman year is too far gone for me to properly recall what intimidated me. In order to gauge the exact fears that one experiences leading up their first year of high school, I asked forty-two 8th graders, soon to be high-schoolers what scares them the most for next fall.
Of the forty two, which is just a small sample size, here were the results:So why are freshmen afraid of upperclassmen? High school is usually seen as a nightmare in TV shows and movies. As a result, incoming freshmen may be intimidated by the events displayed in some shows. Freshmen students may come through the doors of their new school feeling a rush of fear because they are afraid being teased by upperclassman.
To get a deeper understanding of the topic, I asked some of the 8th graders: “What are some other fears you have as you transition into SCHS. How do you feel about leaving middle school and becoming a high schooler?”
“I’m terrified of failing a class. What if I don’t get the credit needed and can’t walk with my graduating class? That would be so embarrassing.”
It is possible to fail enough classes to not graduate. However, programs like Academic Intervention and secondary schools like Serra make it very unlikely. For example, a girl who failed every single class in her first semester of her sophomore year was faced with the fact that she may not graduate. So she shaped up and made up every single class her junior year. She now is looking towards graduation. So don’t worry, because if you care, you will pass!
“When my older brother left middle school and entered high school, he said that by the end of freshman year, his best friend since kindergarten wasn’t his best friend anymore. I don’t want to lose my best friends.”
It does happen, and there’s a chance for everyone to lose one or two friends. It’s rarely anyone’s fault, but people change, especially during high school, so the friends you once had may not be the same by graduation. If you lose friends, which hopefully you don’t, you’ll make so many new ones. Don’t sweat it.
“I’ve heard there is a huge hill freshman are forced to walk up to get to classes. Is this true? How big is it really?”
Freshman hill–99% of all upperclassman DO NOT miss freshman hill. It’s about an eighth of a mile and yes, if you have classes both on upper and lower, you’ll be walking it. It is undeniably a difficult hike. Steep and narrow, the hill cannot be sugarcoated. However, two weeks in, you’ll be used to walking the hill and won’t hate it as much.
“What is block day?”
Block day takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It basically means that the only classes on Wednesdays are periods 1, 3, and 5, and Thursdays have 2, 4, and 6. Each class on these days is about an hour and forty minutes long. Block days were designed to give us more time in each class to get more done. Although long, you’ll learn to appreciate what you get done on block days.
If you’re a freshman reading this, please take my advice when I say to be yourself and don’t try to impress anyone but yourself. High school can be one of the best times of your life, so don’t be afraid and just enjoy it while you’re here, because I promise you won’t regret it!
Well written, very true, and a good source for help. If could remember anything from freshman year, it would definitely have something to do with my fears entering high school. I like how this article gives advice to the incoming freshman.
You really captured what an incoming freshman thinks about entering in high school. At the same time, you gave advise to each fear that they have. This is a very useful article to many.
One of my sisters biggest fears as a freshmen this year is her classes and finding them even if I do show her where they are.
It is interesting to read what incoming freshmen fear most about high school. I think anyone who has gone to SCHS would find this article nostalgic because we’ve all had some fears heading into freshman year. Having the student’s questions answered by an upperclassman has to be extremely reassuring for the 8th graders.
Great Article, looking back I remember being scared about all the same things these kids mentioned in the article above. Glad to know I wasnt the only one!
I completely agree many middle school students are terrified of becoming a high school student. They focus on impressing their peers and focus on irrelevant things and not school. I remember I felt the same exact way when I first walked on San Clemente High School. Great Article!