As we begin the school year, each grade level has been taking care of their responsibilities: seniors are finishing up their preparations for their next step after high school, juniors are getting ready for exams, and sophomores are kicking back as they have fully settled into the high school environment. 

But where does this leave freshmen? 

This year, Annandale welcomed 549 freshmen into its student body. The transition from middle school to high school is never easy, with it leaving many students apprehensive towards the start of their freshman year. 

“At first I thought it was gonna be really overwhelming because of the new people and new territory,” freshman Angelina Nguyen said. “Especially the work, because it’s gonna get harder since I’m older and in high school now.” 

Others were concerned about their social life as they left middle school behind along with their social circle and started their high school career, like freshman Allyson Jaldin. 

“I was a little scared because I didn’t know any people going in,” Jaldin said. “I didn’t have any friends and wasn’t sure if I was going to make any this year.” 

 Most people believe that you are alone with these struggles and fears, but in reality they are normal concerns that most students can relate to. 

High school does have more people, and it is a new environment that new students must learn to navigate while at the same time maturing and growing as a person. The courses also get more difficult as you get older and take more advanced classes, which might pile up and become too much to handle. 

As a freshman, you are thrown into an unfamiliar setting where you are at the bottom rung, unlike in middle school where 8th graders were at the top. It can seem like too much all at once, but it’s not impossible to overcome. 

Luckily, Annandale strives to build a welcoming community that is supportive of new students into the shift of highschool life. A month has passed now since the start of the year, and the freshmen have a good amount to say about their transition period and what helped them the most. 

“I think in the beginning it was hard to adjust because of everything being new,” Nguyen said. “But I reached out to a lot of people here and made a lot of new friends. I also set aside time for myself which really helped me mentally.” Nguyen took initiative and knew what to do to not feel lost. 

“At first I was intimidated but it was actually a lot easier than I thought. Being more social and communicating better than I did last year helped me find my way around,” freshman Giselle Moreno. said “It made high school a lot easier to navigate.” 

While Nguyen and Moreno have fully settled in, others like Emerson Mena Santos aren’t quite there yet. Some still don’t feel as if they have become full-fledged high schoolers. 

“I haven’t fully adapted yet but I’ve been talking to my teachers and forming relationships,” Mena said. 

But many should still follow Mena’s example: talking to your teachers is a great way to learn more about Annandale, and they can serve as your guide to help you around when you’re stuck. 

Another way to fit into the high school life is getting involved in the school community. You can do this by joining one of the many sports teams. They help you grow deep connections with your teammates and peers who will help you have a smooth transition. 

“Being in sports has helped me adjust to high school because it really helped me find a community of people that I have a lot in common with,” freshman Josephine McElveen said. “Having people that I already know that I could even wave to in the hallway really helped me feel accepted and definitely made me feel like I belonged at Annandale.”  

Sports can also help in other ways. They can help teach discipline and set students up for their high school career both in athletics and academics. 

“I joined the basketball team which helped me learn what expectations I had to put on myself if I wanted to get through high school,” freshman Esay Ghirmay said. “Being in a team also made my communication skills with my peers a lot better.” 

Despite the hardships, there are also upsides to becoming a high schooler, like the freedom and independence. “I have the freedom to do what I want, and it’s fun being able to explore my interests,” said Moreno.