A Freshman’s First Day
By Jada Sandjong
Starting your first day of school in a new school is an interesting experience. For everyone, the experience is different, because everyone has these mixed emotions about being a freshman in a new school. For me, even before I went to my first class, I was definitely overwhelmed. I really panicked and definitely didn’t find my classes very quickly. I had to ask for a lot of help from other students in the school.
When I started asking freshman some questions, like what they were nervous about, I got a variety of answers. But the one question that got almost the same answer for each person was how did they feel about the first day. According to Brady Dunn, “I felt good, I was a little nervous to find my classes,” was the answer, and that’s not surprising. Because according to The Tiburon Online, “The most common concern among the incoming freshman class is that they will get lost. 78 percent of eighth graders are worried about this.”
On top of already worrying about finding our classes, another thing that myself and lots of other freshman definitely worried about was fitting in. It’s definitely not easy, and some could even use the phrase “being a fish out of water” as well. Another way to visualize it is when you start middle school as a 6th grader. At first you don’t know anybody, but then you start making friends. Over time, those friends stay with you into your freshman year, but then you have all these older people that you don’t know, and that worry starts creeping back in. That fact again is also proven, according to Crimson Newsmagazine, “A common theme among freshmen fears is that they are afraid to fit in, afraid of upperclassmen.”
But even with all that worry, there were some benefits waiting for us when we walked through those doors. For one, it was a fresh start, you could start over. No one knew you, and I know that sounds bad, but it helps when you want to start over. Some other benefits I realized over time were how nice and understanding the teachers were, and their interactions with the students. I know this because when I asked my friend Alanna Suarez her response was, “My teachers were really nice, and if you got lost, there was always someone there to help.” That in fact was true.
Even for the new teachers in the building, they felt the same way. What made it even better for the new teachers was that the freshman in the class were engaging and welcoming as well.
Oakmont English Teacher, Amanda DiMauro, is not new to teaching, but new to the district. “My experience at Oakmont so far has been wonderful. I have been so impressed with student work ethic, creativity, and their desire to learn. Faculty and administration at the school have been extremely helpful and welcoming. I am looking forward to attending the many events and activities that are going on and I am excited to come into work each day!”
DiMauro continued to speak about her posiitve experience, stating “My freshmen students in particular have very much impressed me so far. They have not shied away from contributing to class discussions and asking for help when they need it. Many of them are excited about becoming a part of the variety of activities that the school offers and have already begun participating in club meetings and on the sports fields. I have joked with the freshmen that we will learn about this school together and I have really enjoyed hearing about things from their perspective so far and helping when I can.”
Even though the students are nervous, so are the teachers. According to Ms. Isabel Pitney, Oakmont Math Teacher, “As a first year teacher at Oakmont, it was very nerve-racking to start in a new school but all staff and students have been very welcoming and helpful. It was a great first week.” So, as you can see, the students and teachers are in good hands.
Another thing that some of us really looked forward to was some of our classes or after school activities. At Oakmont, there are so many more clubs and classes you can join, and you get to decide which one you want to join. One of the freshman that I asked about any clubs he might want to join, Cody Collette, said, “Yeah, going to do basketball and baseball,” and those are just some of the clubs you can join.
But there aren’t just clubs you can join, you can sign up to take classes you like as well. For example, my friend Tris Plooster likes music, so when I asked her how her music class went, she responded by saying, “Yes, I did like that.” So even though the school can be big and confusing, the stuff it has to offer can help freshman enjoy the first day just a little bit more.
One more benefit that freshman look forward to is more freedom. Like the ability to eat snacks and class and have their phones with them, some of the things they weren’t able to do in middle school. According to The Tiburon Online, “There are also some known benefits of being a high-schooler, like having more freedom. 92 percent of incoming freshman agree with this.” But with that freedom comes responsibility, meaning that you have to show that you can handle those benefits while still following the rule, and while it’s not the most fun thing to do, it’s fair. And while I can go on and on about the pros and cons, this is enough.
All in all, being a freshman can be good and bad. Everyone has classes they like to take, and classes they don’t. So for freshman, the message I got was you just need to take it day by day, and ask for help along the way. In the end, the first day of school has some benefits, but can be confusing.
