Change can be difficult, but it can open doors to new opportunities. Current eighth-graders are excited but also nervous to be going to a new school next school year.
“I look forward to my engineering classes, meeting new people, and getting better at violin,” says Charis Lee, 13, of the Voyagers team, who’s going to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
Charis has a goal of getting good grades next year to get into a good college, but is worried that he may not be able to keep up with the school work. Another one of his fears is that he won’t be able to make new friends.
“I’m just not the extroverted type and I might just be overwhelmed with my classes,” he says.
On the other hand, Jake Davidson, 14, of the Explorers team, is excited to meet new people, but is also concerned about the amount of work in high school.
“With sports and extracurricular activities, I don’t know if I’m going to have time to get it all done,” he says.
Ms. Rachel Copeland, a counselor for the Trailblazers and Wolves team, recommends using Google Keep, a paper planner, or an app on your phone to keep track of the greater workload in high school.
“Pace yourself and find your management system,” she says. “Find a place where you can keep track of what you have to do.”
Ms. Copeland also notes that unlike middle school, all classes count toward your GPA in high school, which can take some time to adjust to.
Ms. Copeland acknowledges that students in high school are mixed with much older students as well.
Alejandro Cardenas, 14, of the Discovery team, says he is afraid of the seniors because they might influence him to do things he shouldn’t, like drugs and alcohol.
“There could be things you could be exposed to that may be appropriate for 17-18 year olds,” Ms. Copeland says, “but not appropriate for 14-15 year olds.”
Anne Park, 14, of the Wolves team, says her fear for next year is getting lost in the school.
“Oakton doesn’t have pods. All the hallways are connected to other hallways that are connected to this area in the school. It’s very confusing,” she says.
While students are looking forward to high school, there are also certain things they will miss about middle school.
Alejandro says the things he will miss the most from middle school are his friends and teachers. Jake, Charis and Anne agree, and say that they will also miss the people they met at RCMS.
“I loved that I met a lot of great people and I became close with a lot of people,” Anne says. “I just wish we were all going to the same high school.”
“A good memory [from this year] was my volleyball game with the staff team”. Alejandro says.
Charis recounts his favorite memory from this year, which was from the volleyball club.
“Me and my friends were playing a match and one of my friends that barely knows how to play blocked one of my other friends that’s really good [at volleyball],” he said, “so we were all celebrating like a war ended.”
Anne’s favorite memories are from orchestra class because she gets to spend time with her friends.
“I have a lot of fun in it and my friends are going to different high schools so I want to cherish my time with them,” she says.
Ms. Copeland’s final advice to the rising ninth graders is not to be intimidated by the transition to high school.
“I like to tell students to take a deep breath and not feel overwhelmed,” she says. “It’s like coming from elementary school to middle school. You just have to remind yourself that you’ve done this before.”
