Going into high school freshman year is a different experience for each student, and everyone has different expectations. Whether it’s about the workload, the teachers, the schedule, or the overall experience, most freshmen would agree that there were aspects that surprised them.
When asked what parts of high school they weren’t expecting, the most common answers from West students were relating to the workload. This is also the category that had the most contrast in their answers. One student said she thought it “would be a lot harder” because of the way her teachers spoke about freshman year in the past. Another had a similar opinion saying that she “thought she would be drowning in homework,” but ended up barely having any. However, these two students don’t necessarily reflect the majority. Many were more unpleasantly surprised, like that honors classes were much more fast-paced than anticipated, or that you are more “on your own about assignments,” which is a new experience compared to the guidance received in previous years. Another plainly stated that she “thought there would be less work than there is,” directly contrasting a previous interview. Clearly, the freshman workload differs from student to student depending on the type of classes being taken and the student themself. Different study methods and time spent on work means different amounts of difficulty and stress. However, the workload isn’t the only thing that shocked freshmen.
One aspect that was pleasantly surprising to some students was how quickly the year went by. “I didn’t expect it to go by as fast as it did,” said a freshman. “First, I was worried about finals coming, but now finals are over. I got nothing to worry about,” she remarked. A freshman swimmer that was interviewed had the most to say about her sports schedule. “It was kind of extreme, but once we got into the schedule, it was okay.” Another new perspective was surprised by the amount of people attending West. She “thought there would have been less people,” not expecting the crowded hallways and events.
Clearly, for many incoming freshmen, the high school reality differed from their expectations. Hopefully, they now feel prepared for surviving the next semester.
