High school 1st quarter already wrapped up
Hey everyone, it’s your blogger Yash here! It feels like just yesterday I was trying to decide which high school to go to, and now my first quarter is already over. Time is flying by way too fast! I thought I’d share some of what this first quarter has been like and the big changes I’ve been dealing with in the move from middle to high school.
Transitioning from Middle to High School
The biggest change for me has been the environment. Coming from a small private school, Willows Preparatory School (WPS), I was used to a close-knit community where I knew pretty much everyone. With only 50-60 students in my grade, it felt like one big family. Now, at Interlake High School, I’ve got around 300-400 peers just in my grade, which has been a major shift! The size of the school building itself took some getting used to, and navigating crowded hallways was overwhelming at first. But the big school atmosphere is starting to feel exciting in its own way.
What’s Going Great So Far
Extracurricular Extravaganza! Public high school has introduced me to so many clubs and activities. This first quarter, I’ve been exploring clubs like HOSA, Model UN, and Debate, Chess, Math, Science, Newspaper and the list goes on. At WPS, we had a handful of options, but here there’s practically a club for every interest, and students are creating new ones all the time! It’s awesome to have access to all these opportunities to get involved without any extra cost.
Opportunities for Independence and Full Accountability for My Grades: One big change has been the level of freedom I have here. At WPS, teachers kept a close eye on everyone, and it was easy to rely on them for reminders and support. Now, I’m learning to manage my own assignments and keep track of everything myself. It’s been an adjustment, but it’s pushing me to be more responsible and really take ownership of my work—which I think will pay off in the long run. I stumbled a bit early on and saw the impact on my grades, which made me realize I needed to step up and fix those mistakes to stay on top of things.
New Friendships: I was a little nervous about making friends, especially since a lot of people already knew each other from middle school. But I’ve already met a few close friends and have connected with a lot of new people. The variety of people here is pretty amazing, and I’m glad to be part of such a big, diverse group.
School Spirit and Sports: I’ve realized that school spirit is something I really enjoy! Public school has so many ways to show it, from football games and pep rallies to spirit weeks. I’ve been going to our football games cheering for the awesome run of Saints this year, I’m attending the Diwali party next week, and I’m even trying out for the JV soccer and basketball teams. At WPS, we had just set up a basketball team, but there weren’t nearly as many events or teams, so this has been a big change and definitely a highlight of my first quarter.
What’s Been Challenging
Larger Class Sizes/Student Teacher Ratio: The smaller classes at WPS made it easy to build closer relationships with teachers. Here, with bigger class sizes, there’s less individual attention, which makes it harder to connect. But it’s also pushing me to be more independent and to figure things out on my own, which has been a good challenge.
Crowded Hallways: Passing periods are chaotic! Everyone’s moving in different directions, and it gets so packed that it’s tough to get to class on time. Sometimes, even when I’m rushing, I still get marked late.
Food: I do miss the food at WPS—it was healthier, tasted better, and had more variety. It’s a small thing, but definitely one of the little things I took for granted!
Final Thoughts on My First Quarter
Moving from a small private middle school to a large public high school has definitely been a big adjustment. There are still challenges, but I’m already seeing a lot of positives. This first quarter has pushed me outside my comfort zone, and I’m finding that I’m growing from the experience. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next quarter has in store and can’t wait to keep exploring everything high school has to offer!
