Julia Seiden

An alarm chimes out at 6 a.m on the first day of school. For some students, their least favorite part about school is how early they have to wake up. “I just was hoping it wouldn’t be as bad because I had to work this summer so I was kind of used to getting up early,” Ferguson said. “‘Maybe I’ll [get] used to it, but I’m not and I don’t want to get up.” Photo by Julia Seiden

As they enjoy their last week of swimming, tanning and freedom, they can’t deny the inevitable. Soon they are waking up at the crack of dawn, packing their bags and walking into the building with their friends, complaining about having to be back. They reminisce about the hours spent in the water and soaking up the sun’s rays as the first bell of the year brings them back to the reality of sitting in their first class on their first day of school. They breathe in, breathe out, focus on the present, and look forward to the upcoming school year.

With school having started just a little more than a month ago, student plans to achieve their goals and ambitions for this upcoming year are already in session. This year, students of all grades have mixed feelings about the start of school.

“I was actually feeling really good this year,” junior Brooke Ferguson said. “I have an exchange student this year from France so it was really cool getting to show her around on the first day.”

New freshmen are also feeling positive as the school year begins. 

“I think it’s going pretty well,” freshman Cassie Rico said. “It’s a lot easier to find my classes and I kind of know where I’m going and what I want to do.”

The beginning of this school year brings a lot of excitement for Ferguson.

“I’m really excited for theater because we’re doing Elf the Musical,” Ferguson said. “I’m excited because I get to be Jovie [in the musical], so I get to be more involved in theater this year.” 

There are also some anxieties and worries among students about the upcoming year. 

“I don’t have a lot of classes with my friends,” Rico said. “And definitely having classes with upperclassmen is really scary.” 

Goals and aspirations for the year are starting to be constructed and calculated. 

“I’m trying to work towards [higher] SAT scores [and also] just try to enjoy my high school years,” Ferguson said. “I’m trying to go to all the football games and do everything I can [to make the most of high school] before we graduate.”

For Ferguson, being in choir has made her realize how fast time is going by. 

“I sing at graduation every year [for choir],” Ferguson said. “We get to go sing for [the seniors] this year at graduation, and like, next year we won’t be doing that, it’ll be me on that stage. That’s crazy. I still feel like an eighth grader in my heart.”

With Ferguson graduating next year, she has some advice for freshmen nervous about starting high school.

“You’re going to have moments that are going to suck and you’re going to have feuds with your friends and you’re going to be so overwhelmed and stressed,” Ferguson said. “But this is the only time in your life that’s going to be like this, you’re never going to have another moment like this. Embrace the good and bad because the good, obviously, is good, and the bad makes you better.”