By Adriana Loja
When the news about the Corona Virus outbreak first reached the U.S. no one expected that it would affect students as much as it did. New York public schools officially went into lockdown on March 23, 2020. In the process of adapting to remote learning, students and teachers faced many challenges. Thus students began the new school year with Covid 19 still posing a threat to normal methods of education. While some students chose to do blended learning, others chose to go fully remote. Nevertheless, Freshman Year has gone against the expectations of many. Below, some of MCSM’s current freshmen share what this school year has been like thus far.
Question 1: What had you heard about this high school before coming to MCSM?
Joselin- “I heard that it was a good school, and once I looked more into it I saw that it truly did seem like a good school”.
Anonymous #1– “[This] high school was rumored to be extremely challenging, the work loads eccentric, and the subjects/courses not easy to understand. However, the rumors were not all so negative, in fact there were many positive remarks, specifically about the creative clubs and social atmosphere”.
Anonymous #2– “ I’d heard that in high school it’s all about going to parties, going to prom, and having millions of bullies in the school”.
Liana- “I expected high school to be filled with adventures and to be similar to the movies. However, thanks to COVID that’s not possible”.
Question 2: How did outside opinions affect your feelings about high school?
Joselin– “I thought it was going to be stressful since [MCSM] is a competitive school. I also thought that the material was going to be too hard to understand”.
Anonymous #1– “ [B]efore starting high school, I had a dramatic mixture of emotions. I was naturally nervous to be entering a completely different zone, and the rumors about the workload added on to that. Moreover, I was also very excited to meet my new classmates and teachers and to experience a different, more wild part of my life”.
Anonymous #2– “Outside opinions made me believe that high school is supposed to be very fun and energetic, with lots of activities to do”.
Liana– “After talking to friends who were already in high school, I was kind of scared.”
Question 3: What has your experience at MCSM been like so far?
Joselin– “So far, it has been wonderful! I’m enjoying meeting all these new people and the teachers here are all so nice! Academically, I feel like I’m getting all the help I need, and it’s making this year a lot easier”.
Anonymous #1– “The teachers are friendly and not stern (well despite the gym teachers). And the amount of homework is reasonable, I don’t need a long time to do it. Also, it was easy (for me at least) to get along with my classmates. I am also thinking of getting into a club, and I can’t wait to see how it is going to be like. But I am positive I will enjoy it”.
Anonymous #2– “When I entered high school, I saw that school isn’t all that bad, that there aren’t many bullies, and the workload is a lot less than expected”.
Liana– “My experience at MCSM so far has been a lot better than I anticipated”.
Question 4: How has your perspective on high school changed since becoming a freshman?
Joselin- “It’s a lot less crazy [than] I thought it would be. High school is usually described as hectic, hard, etc., but while being here it’s been the complete opposite”.
Anonymous #1– ““Now [that we have had] a month and a week of high school, to be honest my perspective has changed “.
Anonymous #2– “My perspective changed because now I see that high school isn’t all fun and games all the time, and is actually pretty difficult”.
Liana– “I expected Freshman year to be a piece of cake, but after a while I realized it’s the total opposite”.
Question 5: Do you have any advice for other freshmen this year?
Joselin– “My advice would be to believe In yourself. I have a few friends who are overflowing in assignments and having trouble making friends. They’ve been stressed over things. Starting high school like this is a lot harder than it seems, and it’s important to have confidence and believe you can accomplish the things you’ve been struggling with!”
Anonymous #1– “ Just one more thing to say before I go: Don’t be afraid! I know this is easier said than done but it’s okay. I get it and I am with you! It’s okay not to participate in class, [and] not to try out for extra activities, but don’t let that fear stay with you the whole year (or for all 4! :o). Push yourself out of your comfort zones and try new things. Yes, you will make mistakes, but each mistake [eventually] leads to success. Don’t be afraid of mistakes because they don’t define you as a person. Make mistakes because that is how you grow and mature. Have fun, let loose . . . and do your homework!!! (Caught you red-handed). Don’t give up yet, keep picking yourself up. You have the potential,”
Anonymous #2– “ My advice for future freshmen is that they get prepared beforehand, and think through what clubs and extracurricular activities they want to do before they enter high school”.
Liana– “ I would say to make sure you do well this year, because you will need it to build up your GPA”.