Freshmen Gabby Garver and Nicole McGriff take a moment to a let their freshmam year soak in. Photo by: Shelby Harrell
By Shelby Harrell
French author Andre Gide once said, “Man cannot discover vast new oceans, if he does not have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” This quote applies particularly to the Plymouth High School 2012 freshman class. The “vast ocean” is comparable to the high school, and the “shore” refers to the safety of Lincoln Junior High. The transition from the shore to the big ocean may be difficult to most “young sailors.”
Freshman year may start out easy for some. However, that was not the hardest part. One of the biggest troubles is that most freshmen are not used to sharing classes with upperclassmen. Freshman Chandy Schuler is one student that has been through the adaptation. “It is very interesting sharing classes with upperclassmen,” said Schuler, “You learn about the upcoming years of high school.”
Although it may seem difficult for freshmen to adapt to having upper classmates, one thing that has helped freshmen to adjust is for them to have an upperclassmen sibling or mentor. Freshman Jake Dewar considered his starting freshman year to be fairly easy. “It was really cool,” said Dewar, “since my sister went here, I knew where everything was at.” Having a sibling that is a junior this year has definitely helped Freshman Nicole McGriff. “My sister and her friends love me, pretty much look out for me,” said McGriff.
Additionally, while having classes with some of the upperclassmen may seem difficult to adjust to, sharing classes with some of the those who have “been around the block a few times,” may actually prove to be very helpful. When asked if she received help from upperclassmen, Freshman Gabby Garver said, “It is very helpful to have upperclassmen, because you can look to them for guidance.”
From the beginning of freshman year to packing up lockers on the last day of school, a lot can happen for a freshman. It is important for students to not only set goals for themselves, but also that they track their progress towards those goals. Freshmen should make goals, such as joining a number of clubs, participating in a sport, or joining other extracurricular activities. “I plan to do two sports, and join some PHS clubs,” said Dewar.
Getting to know tons of more people and places, can be a little overwhelming. However, more than anything, it can really change a person’s perspective on something or someplace. High school really seemed to change Garver’s perspective. “Getting to know so many upperclassmen has changed my view. After the first day, high school is not really that scary at all.”
Although the oceans may look endless from the safety of the shore, the rough waters of high school are simple to navigate once the sailor sets sail. Sailing those rough waters represents how smooth high school gets when freshmen finally adjust after the first day or two. The Pilgrim Perspective wishes all students a great start to the fall trimester.