Freshman fears are real and common among ninth graders. According to Crimson magazine, a news publication based in Paso Robles, the “most freshmen fear high school when first coming in. A common theme amongst freshmen is that they are afraid to fit in, afraid of upperclassmen, afraid of getting lost, socializing, and even afraid to be able to catch up in their classes.”
Most young kids look forward to starting high school because it is glorified by older siblings, parents, and even movies. Parents and older siblings will often say, “back when I was in high school…” and movies like Project X and Superbad depict high school as a place and time when fun will be had simply because one is young. Although high school comes with its good times, it also has its responsibilities and fears.
The transition between eighth grade and freshman year involves self-discovery and physical changes. Underclassmen often change the way they dress or the way they talk to fit in due to peers or expectations. Changing your style can affect a person mentally as many freshmen become insecure about themselves due to not fitting in because of the way they dress or what they’re interested in.
“Going into freshman year I kinda changed the way I dressed or the way I presented myself,” said freshman Brandon Castillo.
Starting a new school is an intimidating experience for most students, but going into high school is especially more intimidating. Going from being the oldest to the youngest on campus is a huge change, especially since seniors range from 17-19 years old.
“Coming into high school I was most worried about the new environment and how many more students there was compared to middle school and also all the different types of people,” said freshman Samantha Zuniga.
Castillo and freshman Owen Reid are a part of the freshman football team, spending most of their summer on campus for practice. During that time, they familiarized themselves with the other boys their age and campus in general. They knew their teammates before school started, having somewhat of a cushion to fall back on if they were having trouble meeting people at a new school.
“I thought I was gonna be intimidated by the school work, but I think it’s pretty easy,” said Reid.
Many eighth grade teachers say things such as “That won’t fly in high school” when kids are talking or being disruptive in class or “What are you going to do next year where the work is harder?” The way teachers talk about high school plays a huge part in the way freshmen think about high school. Although meant with good intentions, the tone teachers use can instill fear.
To provide support to incoming freshmen, Link Crew dedicates itself to organizing year round activities for freshmen. Their next event, Freshman Friday, will take place Dec. 15 and will involve an elf contest and a gingerbread house activity.
