By Finley Magga
The high school lockers were empty, the classrooms were collecting dust, and the building was quiet. Everyone was out enjoying their summer break, and the returning students were not worrying about the next school year.
But suddenly, summer came to an end. The teachers started preparing for the new year as all the students were out searching for supplies.
The incoming ninth graders were about to have a fresh start.
“Eighth grade was way different from high school,” current freshman Beckam Strahan said. “They made it seem like things were scarier than they actually were, especially finals.”
Being a freshman could seem confusing. You have to transition into a new building, enter a new phase of life, and adapt to a new set of rules.
High school is the peak of your teenage years. You’re constantly going through strong emotions.
Students are often faced with peer pressure, and major responsibilities. You learn a lot from yourself and studies show it’s the highest emotional growth you might ever go through.
“[One thing I’ve learned from myself this year is] even though things are changing, you can still be the same person.” Beckam said.
The year went on and all the freshmen warmed up to the building. All of their class locations were memorized, and everyone had settled into their routine.
“I definitely had a lot more anxiety about it than I do now,” current freshman Shiloh Bunch said. “I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it is.”
She continued, “After being in high school, I’ve learned that if you manage your time you’re going to be fine.”
School work is also a big part of your high school career. Some can find it annoying and a waste of time, but others enjoy it and like the challenge.
“I’ve learned that I need to be less hard on myself when it comes to school work,” Shiloh said. “I definitely struggle with that as a perfectionist. I don’t need to worry about every little thing.”
To a middle schooler, high school is the pinnacle of schooling. They have been going their entire lives being told about high school, and after eighth grade, it’s now a reality.
In a recent survey of Delta middle school 8th graders two responses stood out the most. Many students gave great answers and helped get a better view on how eighth graders think.
Current eighth grader Nathan Dominguez put it this way:
“I am making sure my grades and reputation in middle school are good,” he said. “So when I get to high school, it follows me everywhere I go.”
Nathan is excited for this change, he’s looking forward to all the new people. He’s always wanted to go be a high schooler and isn’t emotional about leaving middle school.
“[I’m preparing for high school by] making sure I don’t sweat the small stuff and leave all the anxiety in middle school,” current eighth grader Mia Elliott wrote.
Mia said she isn’t nervous for high school as much as she is for sports. She recognizes the change in intensity and being held to higher standards.
She has big expectations she is holding herself to in high school. She wants to get all A’s and most of all, have a good experience overall. Not all of the stress she is feeling at the end of the year down at middle school.
The movies have depicted high school in many different ways and have influenced how people view it. Those scenes include breaking out in song on the basketball team, getting Saturday detention with five other students, or joining a strange group of poets. And even if high school isn’t like the movies, there’s a quote that stands out.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller’s famous line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 1986.
