Being a Freshman in high school can be tough, we all know how it goes. New teachers, bigger buildings, different schedules- stressful to say the least. Being a senior, I remember what it was like a short three years ago as an incoming freshmen. Everything was intimidating to me, I never thought I would understand the rotating schedule, find my way around the school, or have friends in my lunches. But now, schedules are a breeze, I know the school like the back of my hand, and I always have someone to sit with at lunch.
In an interview with three freshmen: Hannah Treiber, Alexa Lane, and Melanie Yelle, I was able to get an inside look into how they have been enjoying their first month at the high school, and what they prefer better at OAHS than EMS.
All three of them agreed that the rotating schedule is great, being able to drop a class everyday is quite helpful, “especially when it’s a class [they] don’t like,” said Melanie.
Another thing to their liking is advisory, the twelve minute “free” block we all know and love. Alexa stated that she “[loves] advisory,” and Melanie agreed, stating that its great “because having a break to study for a test or quiz you may have later or start on some homework.” Hannah chimed in that “having a break between long blocks” is very nice as well.
Raise your hand if during freshman orientation when you received your schedule you were completely dumbfounded. Well, I am sure anyone reading this would have their hand up in the air right now. In the interview all three girls told me how confusing the schedule was when they started off the year. “I really do like the schedule” Alexa said, and Melanie added that “At first [she] was super confused, but now [she] [has] got a hang of it.”
Lunch. Coming in as a freshman in a cafeteria full of upperclassmen of all grades can be difficult. Where do I sit? Who do I sit with? Are my friends in this lunch? Answers we all were so unsure of.
I asked the girls if they liked lunch better here at OAHS or back at EMS. Alexa feels that unlike in middle school, “having different lunches” at different times everyday is great. While Hannah likes lunch better at the middle school, as she stated “I liked having the same time lunch with my whole grade. I do not get to sit with as many of my friends, we do not all have the same lunches,” and Melanie seemed to agree. Totally understandable. As for the food, both Hannah and Alexa agreed that “the options for food here are way better” and “there are a lot of snack options.” Melanie says she “loves the cookies.”
Another thing they absolutely love is having both their backpacks and phones handy at all times. “In the middle school if they even saw a phone then it would be taken away, but in the high school we can pretty much use our phones whenever we want, said Melanie.” And strangely enough back at EMS they enforced a no backpack rule, so being able to carry around their backpacks, the girls feel is a great luxury.
Melanie stated that she feels as though [she] has more freedom.
“In the middle school it almost felt like they were babying [us] which was good in some ways, but it got old after a while.”
Alexa agreed saying “all the teachers at EMS surround you all the time, and at the high school you get more space and individuality.”
Also, as most of us know, our three floor school is very intimidating. Just like them, I remember as a freshman having no idea how to get around, as Melanie brought up. Similarly Alexa said she was “very nervous [to] [come[ [here] because it is a big school and the middle school is obviously way smaller.” Hannah brought up a good point as well, as she got anxious going to different floors every block “trying not to get lost” or “be late for class.”
The final question they were asked is if they felt high school (thus far) was harder than middle school. Both Melanie and Alexa feel it is, as they are now exposed “to the real world” and you “have to figure out [your] own way of organizing [your] stuff and [that] classes are more difficult” Melanie said. Alexa agreed saying that “teachers now expect more from you” and “there are more tests and quizzes too.” Hannah feels that while some things may be a bit trickier “nothing is necessarily easier, but not all things are harder.”