The start of new things can be very stressful, especially when it comes to beginning high school. Many struggle with anxiety over what classes will be like, being able to manage school and outside activities, handling friend groups, and meeting new people. St. Joe students, faculty, and staff have all experienced starting high school and have many insights and plenty of advice for incoming freshmen.
The St. Joe community has many tips for students starting high school and many experiences to share from their freshman years. One thing in common with most of these experiences is the struggle and pressure of trying to find a friend group and get to know everyone as soon as the new school year begins. It is normal to feel this pressure and it helps to know that others went through this, including St. Joe English teacher, Ms. Daniella Moshi.
“The hardest part was recognizing that I just take a little bit more time to open up to people. I placed an unrealistic expectation on myself to find a core group of friends right away, and when that didn’t happen, I blamed myself,” Ms. Moshi said.
This commentary helps students realize that everyone has different experiences and periods of adjustment. Another big stressor of freshman year is all of the new classes. It can be very difficult to adjust to the workload, homework, and class schedules.
Junior Tatum Schwent experienced this adjustment. For her and many others, this was the hardest part of their freshman year.
“Adjusting from public to private school, and the workload was the hardest part of freshman year,” Tatum said.
Apart from adjusting to a new social environment and new classes, there are also many tips and tricks that incoming freshmen can benefit from academically to ensure that they have the skills they need to succeed and do their best in their classes. This includes not procrastinating work, asking teachers questions, doing homework on time, correcting tests or assignments, and managing time in and outside of school.
Mia Allen, a sophomore at St. Joe, has advice to answer questions and concerns about how to deal with not understanding topics in class or being confused about an assignment.
“Ask your teachers lots of questions because they’re there to help you and you shouldn’t be scared of them,” Mia said.
All in all, freshman year can be very difficult in many ways, but it is fundamental in preparing girls for the rest of their high school years and providing students with endless opportunities to get involved in the St. Joe Community. It is normal to have trouble adjusting to new friends, homework, classes, and everything else, but it is a great learning experience. With these substantial pieces of advice provided by fellow St. Joe classmates and faculty, beginning freshman year doesn’t have to be scary. Having fun, completing assignments on time, and walking on the right side of the hallways are key to having a great freshman year.
