While transitioning to high school was difficult, there have been both positives and negatives about the experience. Freshman Orientation Day really helped me get ready for highschool; it really helped me get in the flow of things. I walked my schedule in order to know where everything was, so when I started the first day of school I had an idea of when and where my classes were. I also got to meet my teachers and get comfortable with the people around me. 

In highschool I have more freedom. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet new people, such as upperclassmen. Personally I have met quite a few upperclassmen who have been very sweet and helpful and this has been a pleasant surprise for me.

As soon as I got into highschool I had more responsibilities, which was one of the things I have struggled with. For example, grades are much more weighted in high school. All the grades I get count to your GPA and go towards your college application. That is a lot of pressure.

Another thing that I have struggled with is the social structure. To me, coming from being the top of the middle school to being at the bottom of the high school has been quite a hard transition. Whenever I walk down the hall to my next class all I hear is “Freshy!” This is a constant reminder that I am on the bottom of the social ladder. It is a very important time to find out who your friends are. I have been very lucky to have had at least one of my closest friends in each of my classes. \

The schedule changes have also been stressful. Every grade I’ve been in I’ve had a schedule change, however going into highschool it is a lot harder. I don’t know where any of the classrooms are, which in my opinion is very stressful. 

Being in a new building is really cool but also came with the heavy weight of being lost often. I had no idea where any of the classrooms were. Although Orientation Day helped a lot, I still forgot where my classes were. There is a lot of pressure when you are walking the halls to find the correct class and get there on time.

The scariest aspect of transitioning to high school for me has been the sports. I’ve gone from being the top dog to being at the bottom of the totem pole. For example, last year I was a starter on the varsity basketball team, whereas this year there are many people above me on the teams.

There are many challenges during the transition to high school. My advice would be to keep your friends close and lean on each other to find your way.