By Ananya Sharma, Staff Writer
As the 2022-23 school year comes to a close, freshmen reflect on their first year of high school. Ninth grade is a nerve-wracking yet exciting time, as it marks the beginning of a new chapter in a student’s life. This year was filled with academic and personal challenges along with personal growth. Now is the perfect time for freshmen to look back on the lessons they’ve learned and the important experiences they’ve gained.
One of the most daunting parts of freshman year is the transition from middle school to high school. Students find themselves in a different environment, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and many find it difficult to adjust to the new levels of homework and expectations, as well as extracurricular activities and personal commitments. River Hill freshman Luke Towns shared, “It was a little bit daunting. I kind of got a little bit of a head start though. I’m in the band program, so I got to meet a few people before I actually started in school. That was nice, but it was still definitely a very new environment coming from CMS. It was a lot more workload per class. Getting the classes on time was also a little difficult considering the size of the school. It was a little difficult each quarter, but I eventually got there.”
Because high school is such a new environment, support systems that help you out during your first year are important to help the transition. For some students, the teachers in River Hill helped them adjust to their new school. Soumya Sharma commented, “When I needed help with stuff I would go to some of my teachers after school for help.” For other students, the transition to high school actually wasn’t that hard in the first place, since they already knew friends and family who went to River Hill. Marella Virmani explained, “I had friends who were sophomores that helped me.”
Although ninth grade could be a nerve-wracking and new place, extracurricular activities made it memorable for many. Joining extracurricular activities, such as sports or clubs, made it easier for many students to meet new friends and help transition into high school. Luke Towns added, “I was in the band program and I was also in jazz band in a community band run by the school Columbia Concert Band. Extracurriculars made high school a lot better. I got to meet a lot of different people.”
Reflecting back on their first year, many students also had some advice for the upcoming freshmen that they wished they knew at the beginning of the year. Lauren Virmani advised, “Just try to have fun and get involved and stuff. Luke Towns added, “I wish I would have known that some classes were easier than I anticipated, so I would have chosen some more difficult classes.”
Overall, the first year of high school is a transformative period in many student’s lives. Freshmen often go on journeys of self discovery, in which they question their interests and future aspirations. As the class of 2026, as well as the other grades, reflect on their past year, we should also all look forward to the years that are soon to come.