With the new Bear River 2019 school year comes the annual rotation of students, with the graduation of the seniors, and the renewal of the student life cycle with the freshmen coming into the fold.
At the end of every year of school, the seniors are bid farewell as they graduate and move on into the adult world, and the juniors take their role as seniors. And to fill the subsequent gap of students, the 8th graders become the new freshman, and join the ranks of the high schoolers. Understandably, the new kids joining the fray can be nervous and afraid for their first year of high school, since they’re joining the big kids, and the hardest few years of their lives.
Yet, the reception for the freshmen so far has been positive and welcoming. Olivia DesAutels, one of the new freshmen, said.
“It’s been really fun and everyone’s been really welcoming.”
Freshman Rylie Jeffers also feels welcomed by the older Bruins.
“It’s fun,” she said. “I like this school, it’s a good school, and everyone’s nice.”
Health Teacher Jennifer Krill had this to say about the year so far.
“So I think it’s starting off well, you know, it’s good having Mr. Roberts here, and I think the staff’s good, and the student’s are good, and I think the school year has started off great so far.”
The new freshmen also are enjoying the elective classes they picked, despite the schedule confusion that has been present this year.
Freshman Wade Whatley was one of the students who was fortunate enough to get all the classes he picked.
“The classes I have so far, I’ve liked them. I don’t really have an issue with them,” said Whatley. “Get Focused Stay Focused is kind of a little weird. It’s kind of like career explorations we had at Magnolia.”
Freshman Luke LaCoss also got the electives he picked.
“I got all the classes I picked pretty much,” said LaCoss. “Tech Theater is a little iffy because I don’t have anybody I know besides one person, but most of my classes are nice and everybody’s cool.”
Whenever someone is starting something new, most people will have expectations for the new experience, and that expectations depends on what the person has heard or seen about that experience from other people or the media. Case in point: High School. High school has often been said to be an unpleasant experience, due to the drama of relationships, your hormones going on overtime as your body changes into an adult, the homework load, the bullying from stronger students, and more. But expectations aren’t always fact.
LaCoss compared his expectations of high school to what he’s experienced here at Bear River so far.
“No, it is not. I thought it was going to be a lot different, and a lot scarier than it is,” he said. “I think it’s better than I expected because I like all the classes and I like lunchtime, and I like having the snack shack so I can buy whatever I want.”
Whatley’s high school expectations were about what he expected.
“I remember going from elementary to middle school, it just felt the same and didn’t really feel different, it feels the same for the most part,” said Whatley. “It doesn’t really feel bigger, because I know a lot of these kids.”
Ms. Krill also had some expectations for the year as a whole.
“Well, I think every year the freshmen are going to be a little bit different,” she said. “I think, so far, things are going well. Those first few days of school we kinda just have meetings and don’t really do a lot. They get their Chromebooks, learn the way of the land with the school, I think they’re just catching their footing right now. You guys had a really smart group too, but I think every individual class is going to be a little bit different, so even from period to period, [it changes], definitely. In a couple of my periods they’re really quiet, and in a couple of my periods, they’re definitely more energetic and talkative.”
On the topic of High school expectations, one reputation high school has is a heavy workload for its students. Depending on the student, the difficulty has been mixed, as it has always been
DesAutels said that it was somewhat difficult for herself.
“It’s pretty much what I expected, because I heard from Upperclassmen that it was a lot but that if you work hard that you would be able to get it done,” she said.
Yet for Jeffers, it has been rather easy for her, as she explained.
“Easier,” she said. “I mean, we’ve only been in school for a couple of days, but the homework I’ve been getting for math is easier than I thought it’d be.”
So, in conclusion, the freshmen are doing rather well. The reception of them has been warm and welcoming by students and staff alike, they’re getting used to the inner workings of the teachers and the school, and they’re having a good time overall while learning. The young generation of this school has been integrated well into the Bear River community.
Ms. Krill had some advice for the younger students for the rest of the long school year.
“So I’d say, keep your mind and your eyes open, and you have pretty good examples in front of you, from sophomores to seniors,” she said. “I just feel like you could always be learning, learning from the older kids, whether it’s behavior or school etiquette, manners, or things not to do, things to do, definitely.”
