Adjusting from elementary to middle school is one thing, but from middle to high school is a much bigger step. Freshmen are learning how to adjust to an important four years before starting college.

Adapting to change is something most of us go through. Here at Watkins Mill, freshmen are taking it step by step. Freshman Alejandra Herrera says that she likes high school a lot better than she thought she would. High school “is way better than middle school,”Herrera said, though she is not fond of waking up earlier than before.

Many freshman had expectations for high school that did not ring true once they got here. Freshman Axel Sosa says that he enjoys high school, which was not what he expected.

High school “is calmer than [I] expected,” freshman Fridous Addo said. She thought high school was going to be crazy, but so far she enjoys it. “We get a lot more freedom [in high school] than in middle school.”

Freshman Isabella Kalupniek thinks that amount of freedom “is the best part about high school.” She also like how people get to take “electives that portray what we want to do in the future.”

Many of the freshmen at The Mill are part of clubs and activities. Addo and Kalupniek dance on the poms team. Addo says that poms is “really fun.”

While there are a lot of benefits in high school, some transition are not always so positive or enjoyable. Addo said that she doesn’t like the transitioning of the hallways. “I don’t like people who yell in the hallways,” Addo added.

Just like upperclassmen, freshmen are also tackling challenging courses like AP and Pre-IB classes. Herrera takes AP US History and said that it was hard when she first took the class, but now she is “getting the hang of it.”

Addo also takes AP United States History and thought the class was really challenging. “My teacher helps me with stuff in class,” Addo said.

There are some differences that freshmen see in high school that they didn’t in middle school. Kalpniek said that “you have to be responsible for yourself.”

Despite the challenges and the transitions, these freshmen seem to be enjoying their first year of high school.