Starting high school can be a scary experience for many. Beginning high school can be a big change from middle school yet, many of this year’s freshmen are enjoying their time at Reedy High School.

The high school environment can appear more tranquil due to having a more mature student population.

“It actually seems a lot more relaxed than my middle school,” freshman Makenna Nasche said. “My teachers are more relaxed here than they ever were in middle school.”

There have also been changes in the way students interact in high school. Some freshmen feel that Reedy has offered a better environment due to the lack of social cliques that are typically seen in middle school.

“I feel like there’s less of a social hierarchy,” freshman Iha Karthikeyan said. “Nobody really cares anymore in high school.”

While there are some positive changes from the transition, some freshmen feel that Reedy’s large student body is a downgrade from the tight knit feel of middle school.

“I liked it [middle school] better because it was smaller and I knew everyone,” freshman Giselle Toles said. “I had connections with all the teachers and students, it was a really good environment.”

Losing the close knit community of middle school is not the only loss, some students from the class of 2027 are also starting to feel the pressure of their grades permanently being visible on their transcript.

“I’m trying to get into a good college,” Nasche said. “[My grades] are definitely something I’ve prioritized.”

A number of students feel that being a ninth grader has pushed them to become more academically inclined.

“I was in high school level classes in middle school too, like Spanish and Algebra,” Karthikeyan said. “But here I feel like everything I do matters and counts towards my gpa or my college applications.”

Despite some of the stressors that come with entering high school, these freshmen are still ready to live out their full high school experience.

“I’m really looking forward to all the dances,” Nasche said. “I’m definitely the kinda girl that likes to get dressed up for things, and I’m really excited for homecoming, especially because it’s on the same week as my birthday.”

For these freshmen high school may seem a little daunting. But it’s also a new season with new opportunities, and all of the class of 2027 will get to explore their future here at Reedy and hopefully find themselves along the way.

“Overall I’m really excited to experience high school,” Nasche said. “And I think Reedy is really nice.”