By Jamie Wong, Staff Writer
The beginning of the school year can be a challenging time for everyone as we say goodbye to summer and settle back into our school year routines. On top of the normal stress, freshmen are entering a completely new school, where they are experiencing high school sports, clubs, and academics for the first time. With their first month of high school behind them, we asked Mills freshmen to reflect on their experience so far.
For many freshmen, high school has exceeded their expectations, one reason being the opportunity high school has given them to meet new people. Kevin Ren (9) says, “High school is much better than what I expected it to be. Adapting to the much larger environment has not been hard at all. Making new friends is not as tough as I thought it would be.” Similarly, Chloe Amayun (9) mentions, “I thought it would be awkward or bad, but I made new friends and became comfortable in the environment. I adapted really fast.”
Popular settings for freshmen to make friends are clubs because they serve as ways to explore their interests while meeting people who enjoy similar things. Benjamin Ahnn (9) says, “I have joined Interact Club to look for volunteering opportunities and getting to know other people.” Amayun joined Filipino American Alliance (FAA) because she enjoys “connecting with people that are the same ethnicity and [who have similar] values.” Other clubs popular among freshmen interviewed were Heart in Motion and Red Cross Club.
A general trend among freshmen was their enjoyment of the freedom high school has granted them. Kaden Ren (9) states, “The environment is much bigger and exciting. There are so many more classes, clubs, people, and sports to do. I enjoy the options and the freedom high school offers compared to middle school.” Freshmen also like the freedom to move around the campus. Ethan Cabrera (9) explains, “In middle school, I felt like we always had to be monitored. In high school, we’re free to go to the fields without being watched and we can also use our phones too.”
Amelia Naughten (9) enjoys that the community here is more accepting than at her middle school, Taylor. She feels that “teachers [at Mills] are actually passionate about what they teach.” One example Naughten provided was her Biology teacher, Mr. DeBois (a favorite among freshmen, along with Ms. Cañas). On the other hand, Amayun prefers the teachers she had in middle school. She says that since she went to a private school, she formed closer bonds with her teachers there, and believes that these connections are somewhat lacking in high school. Amayun also stated, “I think [in] high school, there’s more freedom. I honestly thought it was going to be harder, but I actually like the work here.”
Apart from academics, freshmen discussed the wealth of athletic opportunities available on campus. Amayun, a cross country athlete and basketball player, is excited to participate in athletics at Mills. She anticipates that high school sports will be different, perhaps more intense, than middle school sports. Cabrera, also a cross country athlete, says, “So far, I’ve joined the team and have been enjoying it! From the start, I feel like I’ve been welcomed by the upperclassmen and by my Coach. I’m incredibly grateful for their generosity and help. Everybody has given me tips on how to be a better runner, and I think I’ve improved because of them.”
As for freshmen’s hopes for where they will be in their senior year, many of the “typical” responses arise: taking AP classes, participating in varsity sports, and simply having fun. Leo Voytovich (9) says, “I see myself on varsity in every single sport that I’m doing. I see myself getting really good grades and getting a handle on all this work and Canvas, … doing clubs and knowing a lot about technology.” Ahnn, however, aims to be “somewhere hopefully ahead of where my pitiful self is” – an admirable goal many of us can relate to, regardless of grade level.
