Transitions
By: Bella Egress
No one really tells you the right way to believe what high school is like. No one encourages you to make mistakes. No one knows how YOU should tackle these things. The first day of school has become a vivid memory for me. As I walked into school, I had no clue what to expect. Adults and students crowded the halls with no way to see what was coming. I was definitely a fly on the wall. As I made my way through the halls, I could not help but wonder… How am I going to do this? I put my best foot forward and went on with my day. But of course, finding each class was a complete struggle. “Excuse me, do you know how to get to room 203”? Everything looked the exact same. Time after time, going the wrong direction. Until finally, I could get it. No one told me how hard this would be. Teachers were repetitive about the obvious. Of course, academics and rules would be more strict. Why weren't you able to tell us about getting from class to class? Or what about finding the cafeteria on the first floor?
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Each day, upperclassmen told me it would get easier and they were right. But to this day, I still wonder about each step I take. Looking back to middle school, I remember feeling quite the opposite. I used to walk into school knowing everyone’s names, and feeling capable of doing anything. 6th grade was a blast, and 7th was interesting. Finally, 8th grade came and all of my teachers, every single one of them were reminding us of the next year. “This will not slide when you're in 9th grade”. “Remember, next year will be a whole new ballpark,” said my science teacher. But as I listened to the same lectures each day, I realized how wrong they were. Sure, life has become a little more extreme, but high school has a bunch of positives too.
First of all, teachers have never talked about the highlights of playing sports or participating in extracurricular activities. Every day after school I beamed with excitement knowing field hockey was after school. Being a part of something so rewarding and good for me has made the transition into high school that much easier. Without field hockey, I don’t know how I would have eased into the year. At 2:15 exactly each day I smiled with excitement. No one got me like my teammates; our talks on the bus, singing sessions and even talks with our coaches really helped me feel at home. Oh, and they never talked about how outstanding each and every teacher is. The way everyone at Conard wants everyone to be successful truly amazes me. Conard feels like a home. Whenever I need anything from anyone I never hesitate to ask. I can’t wait for someone to ask me what high school is like. Because I will tell them that everything will be great, but it may just take some time.