Freshmen Reflect on First Six Weeks of High School

As the first 6 weeks of high school come to an end, the freshman class of 2021 has had to adjust from middle school to high school. These adjustments include more work, A days and B days, academic lab, the size of the school, and the different lunch periods.

There’s more class work, along with homework, and a need to study harder, longer, and more often in high school.

“The amount of work you get is a considerable difference from middle school. You need to put a lot more effort into school,” said freshman class president Logan Liguore.

Seniors remember that freshmen year was difficult at the time but now know some ways to stay sane while doing more work and view freshmen year as a learning year.

“You should definitely learn how to balance your work. Even though freshman year isn’t nearly as difficult as the other years as you go on throughout high school,” said senior Sohana Pai.

The new building and more students can make it more difficult to get around and get to class on time.

“I thought finding my classes would be really hard, and that I’d get lost, but I ended up adapting really well to that,” said freshman Mason Andrews.

“The number one difference is the size of Parkway North. The lunch periods are hard to get used to just because you’re used to having lunch with just your grade but now you’re having lunch with random people and not really your whole grade in one,” said freshman Jaida Williams.

Freshmen are also used to being in class for 45 minutes and going to all 8 classes in one day. However, at North, classes are 90 minutes and meet every other day.

“This year I struggled with keeping up with my homework in math, and my reading log in English,” said freshman Jerry Lumpkins. “Then I realized that A days and B days give you more time. You basically have two days to do your homework, and academic lab helps you too.”

Academic lab is new for freshmen as well. Academic Lab allows students time to get help from teachers, make up missing work, and work on assignments.

“Academic lab makes class a lot easier because you can study before tests and get your homework done before you even go home. Time makes everything easier,” said Liguore.

Seniors now understand the benefit of effectively using their time during academic lab and staying organized outside of school.

“Always organize yourself. Stay on task. Don’t steer your focus, and always be prepared,” said senior Jourdyn Brooks.

If freshmen learn these skills early, adjusting to high school will be easy.

“There’s more work in high school, and I think that’s definitely something you have to adjust to,” said Andrews. “I feel like you learn more in high school. You learn more per class than you would in middle school.”

by Sereniti Wrancher, staff writer