by Liddia Waterbury

Freshman Eden Stewart sits down at the lunch table. She puts her belongings and lunch box down, then proceeds to take her food out of the box. While eating her food, she takes out her computer. She starts working on homework or missing assignments while eating.   

“Honestly, I don’t know. I usually prioritize finishing easier work in classes and taking more time to complete my harder work. This means doing work during lunch, advanced band, Spanish, and any other time I can. It’s really hard to do homework at home with all my band activities, but I usually manage my time well,” said Stewart.  

High school can feel overwhelming at first, but freshmen learn how to adapt and succeed. Their experiences reveal why the lessons they learn in their first year truly matter. 

For many freshmen, the transition to high school comes with challenges, but it also leads to growth. Stewart shares how they adjusted to this new environment and why it will help them to succeed.

“It was really hard. High school was really difficult to get into the flow with, especially because of my constantly full schedule between marching band, winter percussion, and all advanced classes. I’m still adjusting to it, and I know that with all the struggles this year, it will be easier next year. I will be able to have fun without a lot of stress,” said Stewart.

Although the transition can be difficult for many students, teachers support freshmen by making it easier and less overwhelming. 

“It’s important to help freshmen adjust to high school because when you’re in middle school, you’re not really used to switching classes. Then, if you fail a class in high school, you have to retake it, and they’re not used to that either. To support freshmen, I listen to their problems and help with anything they need. Just caring about them and giving them extra time if they need it. Especially because you can get really behind on school work from seven classes if you don’t have that support,” said math teacher Alyssa Jones.  

Support isn’t only about helping students adjust. It’s also about motivating them when they feel overwhelmed. Teachers play a crucial role in helping freshmen stay focused and confident during stressful times. 

“If their lack of motivation is because they’re overwhelmed, then what I try to do is make it more manageable. I help them look at their grades in class and in other classes. I help them pick the most important grades and push to make sure they stay focused on them. They are the assignments that are going to help their grades the most. If they can just narrow their focus to one thing at a time, and get that done, they can make progress,” said English teacher Holden Henderson. 

This shows how teachers help students feel less stressed by breaking work into smaller steps. While that support is important, students also need to find other ways to get motivated on their own. 

“How I usually stay motivated is when I think about graduation. I usually end up thinking about how, like, if I don’t finish this, I won’t be able to succeed. I also stay motivated by thinking about how I want to make my family proud with good grades. This influences my hobbies and stuff because after putting in that much effort, they feel more relaxing. I look forward to doing my hobbies and other things,” said freshman Onah Barns. 

Students motivate themselves through their own goals. At the same time, teachers can strengthen that motivation by building supportive relationships with their students.   

“I just try to be myself, be relatable, and share my interests. I know that my interests overlap with a lot of yours. I feel a little bit more in touch with social media and modern media than other teachers. I just try to be relatable and make sure students know that I care about them as people and not just the numbers in my grade book,” said Henderson. 

“It’s really important to have a good relationship with a teacher because you’re more likely to pay attention to what they say. If you don’t have a good relationship, you’re more likely to tune them out and do the bare minimum and not learn what they teach you,” said Henderson.

Strong relationships with teachers can impact how much students engage in class. When students feel comfortable, they are more likely to listen, learn, and reach out for help when they need it.      

“To ask for help with school, I raise my hand, go up to the teacher, and ask questions. I know that they are here to help me and help me succeed. When I ask the teacher about work, they help me to understand it better. This also gets rid of a lot of stress when the material is important and I don’t know how to do it,” said freshman Madisyn Maratty. 

Asking for help is important, and it also shows something bigger. Teachers are there to guide students and support them when they struggle, making help a key part of their role.

“Remember, there are so many trusted adults in this building who want to help you succeed, so find one and develop a relationship with them. Talk to your teachers about topics or things you may be struggling with. They are here to help you and truly appreciate hearing from you over hearing from a guardian or another adult,” said freshman counselor Andrea Schedler. 

Support from adults doesn’t stop at just being available when students ask for help. Teachers also take an active role in guiding freshmen, helping them build skills and habits they’ll need to succeed throughout the rest of high school.

“I make sure freshmen understand what is expected, that there’s certain behaviors that are not acceptable. I make sure that they know that teachers have deadlines to get work done. At first I try to push and guide them, then I get stricter, if they are still lacking in maturity,” said biology teacher Joe Somerville. 

The freshman experience includes challenges, growth, and support. Students build habits and maturity while teachers continue to guide and push them towards success.