Most students get nervous as they begin a new journey in a larger school.
Some believe high school isn’t much different from middle school.
“I don’t think high school is that much different than middle school,” Naomi Gregory, junior, said. “It’s just more classes and people. There’s honestly no freedom/independence like people say there is. I don’t think it’s anything to be scared or nervous about except maybe just for the first day, which is normal because it’s a new scenery. Just ask questions if you need to and just try to go to open house. I feel like I am more confident than when I first came here in knowing my way around and just in general because you continue to grow throughout your four years here. The only thing I wish I could change was maybe the classes I took freshman year, but everything is a lesson to learn from.”
On the other hand, Some believe high school is nothing like middle school.
“High school is nothing like middle school, and you just have to make the best of it,” Aliseia Pannell, junior, said. “It’s nothing to be scared about; you just have to embrace it and have fun. I feel that I’m more confident, and I’ve learned that it’s okay to not have the perfect outfit or everything done. Just be you and focus on school. I wouldn’t really change anything from my freshman year. I would just remind myself that I can have fun, but also have to focus.”
Most believe staying on top of your work is the best advice to give.
“My advice is to stay on top of your work especially in ninth grade,” Caylee Taylor, junior, said. “Don’t be in everyone’s face and just stay to yourself. Don’t be scared. You kind of have more freedom, and the four years ago by really fast. I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily more confident than my freshman year, considering I’ve always been confident, but I definitely learned new things about myself. If I could change one thing about my freshman year, I would care more about my grades and tell myself it’s going to be okay.”
Upperclassmen know that not caring what others think of you is good for lowerclassmen.
“Chatham is nothing like I expected it to be,” Martayvion Younger, senior, said. “My advice is that you shouldn’t care what people think because your silence is going to speak louder than your actions. I think I have the same confidence as I did when I first came to this school; I’ve just realized that not all people are my people. If I could retry my freshman year, I would just move differently and put more effort into the stuff I needed to worry about.”
Some believe keeping God first is the key to a good high school journey.
“I’d tell lowerclassmen to just be yourself,” Cam Tucker, senior, said. “You’re going to find yourself and your people that really rock with you. Don’t be scared because God is with you every step of the way. You need to get that into your head now. I’ve become confident in everything to the point that no one can tell me anything negative. I wouldn’t change anything about my freshman year. I would just tell myself to continue being myself and not to focus on other people’s paths.”
