Starting high school causes a rush of emotions, and it’s a different experience for each person. Some people may feel intimidated and nervous while others may feel unfazed and indifferent. Cal high is a massive school and for a 14 year old Freshman just coming out of middle school it’s probably one of the scariest things to experience. Freshman should feel comfortable in school and know that there are people who understand how they’ve felt, they are not alone and once they realize that, high school would seem a lot less terrifying.
As a freshman, I can say that starting high school with about 3,000 other students was quite daunting, but what made me feel less alone in the transition is the notion that other people felt the same way. During freshman first day it was a fairly calm experience because there weren’t as many kids and I knew everyone in the school was just as nervous and uncomfortable as I initially was. The teachers also aided in making the school seem less scary because of their admirability and the kind energy which was emanating from them. Personally one of my greatest fears when starting was whether or not I would be able to find my classes, I dreaded the thought of being the one person wondering around aimlessly trying to find my next class. Luckily that didn’t happen, or it did but just not in front of the thousand of other student, Freshman first day really helped me have an idea where to find my first class so I wouldn’t be as helpless as possible.
As I said before the first day of High School was a unique experience for each individual. “The teachers were all amazing and I felt as if I was going to do fine in every class! I’ve enjoyed my time at cal high and hope to experience more things in the future!!!” said Emma Flores, a fellow Freshman, about her first day at Cal High. Two Freshmen, Jonathan Bonilla and Janitza Beltran had similar experiences. Both were initially nervous about this next big step, but after seeing the kindness that several of the Link Crew members and staff had shown, their nervousness was extinguished and they finally felt comfortable in the place they would be in for the next four years of their lives. “…after our freshman first day I felt more confident and comfortable.” commented Janitza when asked about how she felt on her first day. Jonathan also stated, “I was excited about the many programs Cal High had to offer, as well as the many activities and clubs you could join.” This shows that some students felt excited for starting High school and those who were a bit more nervous, with only a bit of guidance these Freshman felt more confident in what would be considered their new home.
Freshmen have adapted well in this new space, they’ve begun to find hangout spots and join clubs. A common hangout spot for Freshmen is the large quad, mostly because it’s one of the only spots that is easily accessible.
Another commonly known spot is the vending machines near the large quad. That’s where me and my friends meet up and it’s definitely because we don’t know where any other place is.
High school, though intimidating at first, is a great place filled with amazing opportunities and memories waiting to be made. For any Freshman who are reading this, other people have felt the same as you and, if you haven’t already, you’ll get the hang of things and adapt to High School faster than you think.
