The beginning of an era, freshman year can be the most daunting one of all; a new school, new people, and this year, a pandemic. This year’s freshmen are challenged with different transitions from middle school to high school and the pandemic hasn’t made it easier.  

     Getting into the swing of high school may take time, but nonetheless it can be fun and full of new opportunities. One of the biggest benefits is the variety of different classes students can enroll in such as Child Development, Creative Writing, AP classes, Ceramics and Pottery, Latin, Interior Design and many more.

    Freshman Pia Delcegno says, “So far I prefer high school because I like how I got to choose my classes.” Class options are one of the major differences from last year to this year and tends to be a positive one. 

     Not everything is as easy as middle school and some freshmen tend to struggle with the different workload of high school. Freshman Taylor LaFountain says that the material is a lot harder than middle school. High school has a whole new bracket of expectations from the testing, classroom, and of course the home work.

     In middle school the work may be hard, but freshmen looking back agree that the work now is more challenging. Delcegno also says the amount of work got harder and she has more than she used to have in middle school.

     Freshman year brings new challenges and students face them every day. This includes waking up earlier, having more homework, and meeting new people. LaFountain thinks, “The biggest challenge is finding my way through the school and making new friends.” All freshmen have different challenges that they face. Delcegno voices, “The biggest challenge I’ve faced so far was waking up earlier than I did in middle school.” 

     Public middle schools in America on average start around 8:03 am, compared to the start time at most high schools being 7:20 am. LaFountain says, “The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is waking up way earlier.” This creates a big shift for students and their morning routine coming into high school. Waking up, bus stops, and arrival at school all becoming earlier is a shock to some students.

     With all the traditional transitions students face, this year, has its own set of rules. Schools across the globe are faced with working around COVID-19 in the classrooms. Delcegno says, “One of the biggest adjustments I’ve had to make was wearing a mask during school.”  

     Today, if they are attending school in person, students are required to wear a facemask and maintain social distancing. These new expectations for students could make adjusting to high school harder than normal. 

     Mr. Rosengrant, one of our school counselors, says, “The transition into high school can be intimidating. At Foran, the entire faculty is here to help you navigate not only your freshman year, but all the way through graduation. One of the most important things to remember is that if you don’t know something, don’t be afraid to ask for help; chances are you’re not the only one! Whether you ask your school counselor, a friend, an upperclassmen or a teacher there is always someone at Foran willing to help you out!”