BY OLIVIA SIMPSON

Opening the front door, they slowly enter unknown territory. Filled with fear and excitement. Scared of the upperclassmen, but excited about more freedom. Scared of getting lost, but excited for a new school. Scared of new teachers, but excited for new friends.  

This year’s freshmen have experienced the same scary transition from junior high to high school (as many of us know and appreciate).

Freshman, Caitlin Bortz stated she was scared even though she knew what she was going into, after having three siblings go through the high school before her.

As the first quarter has come to an end and the freshman have become adjusted to the new school, they are noticing some changes from this year to last. One major change is freedom.

Kate Doran said she noticed on the first day of school that “we have a lot more freedom at the high school compared to the junior high, which is a lot stricter.”

The freshmen have noticed that the phone policy and how lunch works are big contributors to the change in freedom.

In the words of Ms. Connaughton, the Junior High Principal, in an email, the junior high is “cell phone free during the school day.” Ethan Dill emphasized, “you never had your phone out.” 

There were consequences for those who didn’t follow the rule. Kate Doran explained that “if you had your phone out it would get taken and you wouldn’t have it for the rest of the day. It really stunk.” 

At the high school, as many are aware, the phone policy is somewhat loose. It typically depends on the teacher, and most teachers will let students have their phones out within reason. Bortz emphasized “you can have your phone out a lot more at the high school.” 

The other change was how lunch operated.

Differently from the high school, at the junior high, students aren’t permitted to have their phones during lunch and, on occasions, they have had assigned seating. Assigned seating would typically occur at the beginning of the year but Kate Doran said, “No one followed it.”

Lunch at the high school is different, such as its longer, there’s more places to eat, and you are allowed to have your phone.  

Rachel Dronsfield, freshman, described it as “lunch is more [of a] free time” than it was at the junior high. 

Freshman, Luke Moore also described it as “fun to go outside.”

As the 2nd quarter has begun, freshmen have begun to walk through the doors and hallways with their heads a little higher. The fear has slowly disappeared. And almost all of them agree that the high school is better.

When asked which he liked better, Dill said laughing, “Definitely the high school!”