Hundreds of freshmen woke up on September 4th feeling more nervous than they have been in years. Some were worried about not having friends in their classes, while others worried about the new workload and academic pressure.

Stomachs were jumping and turning from a mix of both excitement and fear, as freshmen hopped on the bus and anticipated their first day at Harriton High School.

Fast-forward a couple of months. Now many of the freshmen, including me, have gained a clearer picture of the high school life, along with some likes and dislikes about the new environment.

I was curious to know how my peers were adjusting to the new life. I interviewed freshmen Ava Marcus, Isabella Boon, and Julia Shipman to receive some opinions about Harriton High School from a newcomer’s perspective.

THB: How do you all like Harriton so far?

Isabella: “It’s good. There is much more freedom, which I like.”

Ava: “I love it!”

Julia: “The vibe is so much better than Welsh Valley, and I’m really enjoying it.”

THB: Why do you like high school more than your old middle school?

Isabella: “[It’s] much better. I like my teachers a lot more, and you get so much more control over yourself.”

Ava and Julia both agreed with Isabella.

THB: What’s the biggest change?

Isabella: “The teachers really want to help you and help you do well in school where sometimes at Welsh Valley it would be hard to get help”

Ava: “ The work and level of classes I’m in.”

Julia: “The freedom we get at lunch and learn.”

THB: What don’t you like about Harriton?

Isabella: “The lunch and learn plan. I need to see some teachers more than others, and I can’t see them because I have to go to a teacher to learn that I don’t even need to see. For an example, I had a bio test and I couldn’t go in for Learn because I had to go to art even though I didn’t need to go.”

Ava: “ How different CP and honors classes are. Sometimes I feel like CP is too easy in a subject, but Honors is just a little too hard for me.”

Julia: “The workload can be a little too much sometimes.”

THB: What do you wish you knew before coming to Harriton?

Isabella: “What it would be like.”

Ava: “ How to balance homework and activities. Sometimes its hard getting homework done when I also have dance”

Julia: “Knowing I have to complete the passport would’ve been helpful so I didn’t get too excited about lunch and learn until [the passports] were finished.”

After asking these students questions, I can now see that although Harriton has a few flaws, the overwhelming majority of people enjoy it much more than middle school. Many who were very nervous about starting—including me—are now becoming well adjusted to high school.