One of the most difficult parts about being a newcomer in any situation is finding your way around. At BSM, the hallways always seem to be cramped, rushed, and confusing. Coming in as a small fish in a big pond, freshmen tend to feel overwhelmed and nervous getting from class to class. For freshman Grace Grandstand, her first day of high school felt like a maze. She had to ask people for help in the hallway and stop to stare at the map in the front lobby. “ I have just been getting lost and learning while hoping I am not tardy,” Grandstand said.
A privilege of being in the senior high allows for more independence and freedom. When you enter high school, you get many new accommodations such as a study hall/free hour, access to your phone during lunch, passing time, and control over what classes you take in order to pursue your interests. Freshman Gabby Silva, who attended BSM in junior high, has already felt a difference being in the senior high hallway. She is enjoying adapting to a larger atmosphere with more freedom. “I like how they give you a study hall. We didn’t get that in junior high, and it’s a great time for me to get my work done. I also like having phones at lunch, and then I feel like the classes are a lot more chill,” Silva said.
A big part of being a freshman is learning and figuring out time management. As the workload starts to pile up and sports start to get busier, it is a lot harder to find time to do assignments and study. Freshman Nolan Garvin and Silva are both involved in activities inside and outside BSM. Silva participates in the BSM dance team. After a two-hour practice after school, she goes to the dance studio for the rest of the night. It is very difficult for her to find time to do homework. She has learned to use her study hall well, do homework in the car, and find time whenever she can. Garvin is involved in club hockey. From having 30 minutes of homework a night, to now an hour and a half, Garvin has built a schedule for himself and adapted productive time management skills. “I would just see what time [my sports] are at. Then, I would either do [my homework] before or after that sport,” Garvin said.
Freshman year is both a scary and exciting time. From meeting new friends, managing a new schedule, and adapting to a new building, freshmen have many areas of transition. “I would say that overall high school has been good. Everybody’s been nice and welcoming,” Garvin said.