By Reagan Stultz As each new school year approaches, incoming first-year students often feel a mix of fear and excitement. Stepping into a bigger school environment can be difficult, and the transitions to high school can be intimidating because of all the unknowns.
One of the most common fears among freshman students is fitting in. Some middle school friendships might fall apart, some of your friends are going to different schools or you just drift apart. The thought of making new friends might sound scary or difficult. “My advice would be to go out there and get in as many clubs and groups as you can because high school will fly by, and you will just be sad that you did not put yourself out there as a first-year student” said first year student, Cicilia Snyder.
Socially, you will meet many new people, and even though it sounds scary, you will always find your group of people. “Be outgoing even if you feel like people will not like you just because you are a first-year student you will find out soon that that’s not true.” said first-year student, Quinn Mchugh. There are many diverse groups and diverse types of people. By the end of the first week, many had already had a lunch group to sit with and a few to hang out with in general, which is an excessively big fear among first-year students. “My advice to freshman would to be friendly and open to everyone.” said sophomore Kat Barton.
Academically, the amount of work tends to increase, and the pressure to do well is overwhelming. Freshmen students often worry about balancing homework, activities, and their social life. The fear of harder classes and strict teachers can also add to their anxiety and stress about this new adventure.
Despite these fears, high school is also a time of growth and new opportunities. Many first-year students find that once they settle in, they enjoy the increased freedom and the chance to explore new interests and activities that their grade school did not have. High school is all about finding who you are and realizing that everyone else is going through the exact same thing as you are.
The McNicholas Milestone 