“Organization is key. […] There’s definitely a higher level of rigor than in middle school and so that kind of catches [freshmen] by surprise. […] Over time they get into a rhythm of things,” said freshman biology teacher Jennifer Meyer.

One of the many transitions people have to make in life is the transition from middle school to high school. To the satisfaction of many though, the idea of the transition is a lot scarier than the actual experiences.

“It’s not as scary as people tell you. […] They’re just trying to stress you out,” said freshman Alex Booher (‘25).

Coming from middle school, students stress about the upcoming rigor of high school classes.

“It’s nothing too challenging, but it also is a level up,” said Booher.

Students give simple advice for the high school workload.

“It’s not easy, but it’s not hard. […] Just stay on top of your work […] and don’t get behind,”  said freshman Gracie Azpeitia (‘25).

The change might have not been difficult for everyone but there were still differences from middle school to high school. One of the most surprising changes for the students is freedom.

“I would say the biggest change from middle school to high school is that we have a lot more freedom and we can be on our phones more,” said Booher.

Freshman Ian Combs (25’) also noticed the change of freedom in high school.

“You don’t have to walk in a line,” said Combs.

There are some actions you can take to help adjust and prepare better for the transition from middle school to high school if you find yourself stressed.

“I would tell [rising freshmen] to figure out their course schedule […] ahead of time because I made a lot of mistakes,” said sophomore Megan McCloskey (‘24).

Both the counseling department and Blue & Gold have numerous course recommendations and planning guides that can help you make the most of your schedule.

Here you can find the ninth-grade advisement form and here are the counselor’s four-year guides, showing the math tracks, diploma types, and graduation requirements, found under the heading “Course Selection Resources.”

“Plan your classes well. […] Take classes that you actually like,” said sophomore Addison “Addie” Munroe (‘24).

Overall, the consensus is that the transition isn’t all it’s hyped up to be. Every student adjusts in their own way.

“Going from middle school to high school wasn’t as big of a deal as all the teachers made it sound [like it would be],” said sophomore Sutton Feaster (‘24).

Some more advice is:

“Don’t wear cat ears,” said sophomore Olivia Bell (‘24), referencing this year’s first-semester fashion trend.

“Bring money for the vending machine,” said Combs.

And lastly,

“Be careful who you talk to. Don’t do anything stupid [because] it’ll get around,” said Munroe.

That’s pretty much high school.