High school. Every movie you saw as a kid was set here. You thought it was miles away and that you would never be as old as the people in the movie. But now, you’re here, and it is not like the movies you saw at all. Transitioning into a new building, environment, and harder schoolwork is full of many struggles. Five freshmen detailed their experience of Woodland so far.
What’s the main difference between the Middle School and High School?
Sierra Lahey: “I would say that the main difference between middle school and high school is that in middle school you have less freedom. You can’t do as much as you can in high school. In Middle School, you can’t ever have your phone but in high school, you can have your phone out. You can kind of do whatever you want. You can also follow your career path.”
Jordyn Ramalhete: “Obviously, in high school, you’re seen more as a bigger person and more responsible, you’re given more freedom. As in the middle school teachers expected everything from you and expected nothing at the same time. High schools, a bigger school, bigger opportunities. In middle school there wasn’t as much. I feel like high school is just a whole other level”
Yari Blanco: “In high school, there’s definitely more freedom and the teachers do treat you like adults. And in middle school, you’re kind of minimized to certain things. You can’t really have your phone out. They don’t treat you your age.”
Janae Findlay: “One of the main differences that I find is the passing periods instead of it being two minutes, it’s now five minutes. And with advisory, instead of having it once a week, for 50 minutes, we have it every single day for 20 minutes, so that you can get to know the people.”
Gia Salvatore: “I think the main difference would definitely be the A-B schedule because in middle school it’s the same class every single day. I mean in eighth grade, they changed it so we had double block and that I personally did not like it, at all. But in sixth and seventh grade, it was just the same thing every single day. And, the classes would feel short too, I feel like I got no work done. And that’s definitely the biggest difference, having a day gap in between.”
How has the change affected you?
SL: “I think carrying my backpack around and 80 minute classes changed me cause, I’m sitting down for a long period of time. I’m carrying all my stuff with me throughout the whole day. It kind of can get a little tiring by the end of the day. But it’s also kind of an upgrade. I have less homework. It’s separated by day. Now it makes it easier.”
JR: “I feel like it’s helped me to be more mature, being around having classes with upperclassmen, or with seniors. It’s helped me to kind of mature myself and become that more responsible high schooler that everyone expects you to be,”
YB: “I don’t really think it affected me as much. Just because, in middle school, it’s different, but sometimes it’s a little bit similar. Here at Woodland there’s a more positive environment and at least students and teachers and staff treat us like adults.”
JF: “I feel more mature, for example. There’s a lot more classes and more clubs to take, I joined Hawk Headlines, and it makes me feel like I have more authority basically. I feel more confident in myself that I can do a lot of things.”
GS: “I don’t know. I just feel like high school is enjoyable because, in middle school, I just did not like it.
What were you most scared about?
SL: “Probably about the long, 80 minute classes. They could get really stressful. Tiring and sometimes you just want to stand up, and stretch your legs out.”
JR: “Yeah, getting here was a huge thing. Getting up earlier, I was scared I was gonna miss the bus a lot more often. Also, bigger school and getting more lost.”
YB: “Finding my classes. And also trying to keep my grades as high as possible.”
JF: “I think I was scared about navigating and finding my way. But I got used to it,”
GS: “I don’t know; I think I was scared about it all. The upperclassmen, not knowing what to expect, where my classes are, how embarrassing it would be like-I guess I was just scared of embarrassment. Sometimes I’m the first one to my lunch table, and I’m like, oh, my god, I’m sitting alone right now. I was scared people were gonna judge me. But I think now is the end of the third week. I’ve cooled down, I’m back to normal. I’m not scared anymore.”
What’s your biggest struggle with High School so far?
SL: “Probably trying to take time out of my day to get my homework done. Because I have cheer after school, and I have plenty of other things I have to do in my home life. Trying to fit homework into these slots is kind of hard, but with the study hall it also kind of helps me.”
JR: “I feel like trying to balance home life with school life. And my athletic life too, balancing school soccer with school and family, outside problems, not problems, but activities. I feel like it was just a lot, I’m getting more into the groove now. But at first it was a little more difficult.”
YB: “I think trying to manage, cheer and school, just because in cheer, we have to work a lot more just because a lot of people have quit. There’s not as many people. We definitely do have to work harder.”
JF: “I feel like the only struggle I have so far is trying to handle time with more homework.”
GS: “Definitely the workload, I feel like there’s so much work. But, study hall helps a lot and the day gap.”
How are you coping and organizing your time with the workload getting bigger?
SL: “I like to plan out my day to start thinking about what I am going to do. I kind of section off my work. I try to get my work done on the first day it’s due instead of waiting until the second day.”
JR: “Well, I take out multiple chunks out of my day and assign it to a certain subject so that I’m able to get all that work done. Also, I take advantage of my all year round study hall very well. I get more work done that way. And when we’re hanging out in the locker room before any soccer game and soccer practices, I do work there too.”
YB: “Anytime I have work or homework that I get I do it that same day. Because I don’t want my work to over pile.”
JF: “I’ve been setting schedules and set times for me to do set classes and using checklists and making sure I did all that work.”
GS: “Study hall is a big part, but sometimes I just kind of sit in study hall; I don’t really do any work. It’s a time to cool down in a way. I think I just kind of do it when I can because I dance three nights a week. And then I have a social life too, I go to the football games on Friday, I go to the JV games on Saturday morning, I mostly hang out with my friends on the weekends. I can do it when I can. I always get it done within the due date. But if I have an hour, sometimes at dance, we have a break where we were not dancing. I do my homework at dance, on my phone, on the bus, whenever I can I do it. And it’s been working.”
What future high school event are you the most excited about?
SL: “Probably prom and homecoming. I think it’s just really cool that they set up these dances and that they let the grades [grade levels] come. I just think it’s a nice thing to do. Especially in your older years of school. And when you’re stuck in elementary school, there’s nothing going on.”
JR: “Obviously, senior prom. Huge thing. Homecoming is another one. And also, I feel like I’m very excited to see what the graduation process is and how seniors go through that.”
YB: “Definitely homecoming and senior prom. And I think graduation just because we finished 12 to 14 years of school. I think it’s a good way to just celebrate that.”
JF: “I’m mostly excited about going to the basketball games or just being more involved in general and having more spirit because last year, I didn’t really want to go to anything to be quite honest. But spirit week and all that, I’m excited for it.”
GS: “Honestly, I’m kind of excited for the school dances because I’m such a girly-girl. I love getting ready. I love all that. I love music. So, I’m excited for that. I’m also just excited for the football games because I really like watching football.”
What high school sport events do you want to attend?
SL: “Probably the football games. They’re really fun. And everyone starts cheering for the team. And I just think it’s a really cool experience.”
JR: “Football games. Obviously, that’s a huge thing here. I feel like showing that sportsmanship and school spirit makes football games a huge thing. Going to support friends in volleyball, softball, baseball, tennis, all those other sports is also going to be amazing and fun.”
YB: “Right now I’m currently on the cheer team. Before I tried out for the cheer team, I was depending on doing the volleyball team, but I tried out for the cheer team, and I think that’s a really good decision because we do a lot of teamwork. And I feel like everyone there is really positive and we work together, we’re like one big family and I really like it.”
JF: “Volleyball definitely. But I don’t really know basketball. Maybe swim?”
GS: “Football, volleyball, soccer.”
How has the phone policy being less strict in high school affected you?
SL: “With the phone policy being less strict it’s obviously helped me a little bit better. Because, if I am bored I can always pull out my phone and do something if I have free time in that class, which allows me to, and it makes it more fun and entertaining.”
JR: “It helps make my phone die quicker. Obviously, I’m on it more but getting hold of my parents is a lot easier, when I need them. Especially because it’s more lenient.”
YB: “In middle school, we didn’t have our phones. We always wanted it. But now in high school we have it by our side, I don’t really use it as much and I don’t really need it. But I think it’s a better policy.”
JF: “But I feel like it helps you because it gives you more freedom and you’re okay to be your own person. And if you have an emergency, you can text your parents.”
GS: “For me, I definitely feel like I’m not hiding something because we all know in middle school we would all go on our phones. I feel like I don’t have to hide anything anymore.”
