Freshman year is exciting and nerve wracking for 9th graders. It’s your first year of high school and everything is brand new. You will be spending the next four years here, and this is the place you will have some of your greatest memories and make some of your best friends. Everyone has expectations for high school considering how often it is depicted in books, shows, and movies.

Oakton is a great school and it is a very different compared to middle school. “I like high school a lot more than middle school because everyone is more mature, you have more responsibilities but you have more privileges as well,” said Megan Sambile (9), a former  Luther Jackson Middle School student. During high school most kids are striving to get into a good college so kids are much more focused than in previous years.

Many  kids did not know what to expect when they got to highschool. Having an older sibling or an older friend helps a lot because you have someone to guide you. “I don’t have an older sibling but I have my friend Lydia, who has given me advice about starting high school. This school is much bigger than Rachel Carson and i’m glad I have someone to guide me,” said Thomas Mika (9).

High school is the setting of many popular movies, books, and shows. Almost everyone has seen high school musical and i’m afraid high school does not live up to those expectations. “High school is definitely not like how it is shown in movies, in movies there are so many stereotypes about high school and they just aren’t true,” Said Sambile. We can’t always count on television and movies to guide us through life.

In high school there is much more pressure to succeed than in previous years. With finals and SATs in the future there is a lot for freshman to worry about. Many kids believe that unless they get perfect grades their life will be miserable. All though it is important to strive to do well, you have to make time to enjoy yourself and you can’t over work yourself. You have  to remember that high school is not only about getting good grades.

High school is a challenge that prepares us for our lives. The lessons we are learning right now will be valuable to us in the future. Although high school is new and scary everyone will adjust and get used to the way things work. If you have a good attitude and a great work ethic high school will be just fine.