As the 2019-2020 school year commences, Lindbergh High School welcomes a brand new freshmen class. These freshmen now face the challenge of transitioning from middle school, where they were the veterans, to high school, where they are now the rookies. This transition can be intimidating, due to more challenging courses, unfamiliar faces, and new extra-curricular activities. 

As the freshmen class is expected to follow the guidelines of the high school after going through orientation prior to the start of the school year, however, the adjustment requires time, as the students gradually fall into a routine and begin to mature to fit the new culture. In addition to orientation, teachers play a key part in ensuring that the transition is smooth, as there is often a learning curve with the first few assignments that freshmen complete, and the teachers set expectations early. This can be difficult for freshmen, as lower scores often result from these new expectations.

Additionally, the work-load of high school classes is significantly greater, as the courses are more challenging, and the homework becomes more time-consuming. Ryan Hohman (9), a freshman, spoke of the difference of the time it takes for him to complete his homework, stating that it’s “like a half hour to an hour” more. 

Also, the upper-classmen are an integral part of helping freshmen adapt to the new culture of high school. This is because freshman tend to look up to upper-classmen for an example of how to act, and how to be successful in classes. Therefore, it can be extremely beneficial for freshmen to develop relationships with upper-classmen, and these relationships commonly develop through extra-curricular activities, such as sports or band.

Although the transition to high school can be daunting, many freshmen grow to enjoy high school overall, as there are definitely benefits. When asked about his favorite part of high school thus far, “probably the longer lunch,” Hohman answered.

Overall, despite high school being more challenging, freshmen are able to find the advantages of the experience which is paramount to the adjustment, and will lead to their enjoyment of the next four years.