“The passage of students from the middle grades to high school is the most difficult transition point in education.” (Southern Regional Education Board).
Just how difficult is this transition? High school is an exciting and important part of life, but it can also be scary and unpredictable. The majority of high schools have many differences from middle schools, and it can be hard for freshmen to adjust to these changes.
“Workload is always a hard one […], that’s always one of the biggest adjustments,” said math teacher Glenn Johnson. “In high school, we move very fast and that is something we kinda have to [do] because we’re trying to get through a lot.”
Fairview offers a wide variety of regular, advanced, and college prep classes, but regardless of the level, they all give most students more homework than they were accustomed to in middle school.
“I like the freedom I get in high school,” said Gabriela Knight (9). “I don’t like all of the homework though.”
Some students came from middle schools that had a heavy workload, preparing them for what they’d see at Fairview. On the other hand, many schools didn’t give their students a significant amount of work. It’s even harder for students coming from these schools to adjust their time management in order to complete all of their assignments.
“[The hardest change] I had to adjust to was how much more homework there is,” said Eli Nemordi (9). “My middle school didn’t offer advanced classes for 8th graders, but now I’m taking all advanced classes, and the amount of homework is very different.”
This brings up a similar common concern of freshmen who are new to a school with options for different academic levels.
“I think that the academic side of it [is hard to adjust to]. Kids either take on too much or don’t take on as much, trying to figure out what that balance is for them,” said counselor Kelsey Sheridan. “I feel like freshman year is all about new transitioning and figuring out that balance.”
Another change that freshmen find themselves having to adjust to is the massive size of the building. Some middle schools, like k-8 schools, were bigger than other ones, like charter middle schools.
“The other [big adjustment] is this building is very confusing,” Johnson said. “Just figuring out where to go is sometimes a battle.”
Views on Fairview’s size and layout are mixed, but many agree with Johnson and feel that the way the building’s hallways and classrooms are arranged is confusing. It all depends on the student though; some are very quick at adjusting to new environments, and it doesn’t take them long to find the best paths for themselves to get around.
“Just the hugeness of the building was a big change coming from a one-hallway school,” said Jackson Vieth (9). “But then I found it’s actually pretty easy for me to get around a big school.”
Another adjustment, of which the difficulty varies by which middle school students are coming from, is getting to know all the new and different people. Those coming up from one of Fairview’s feeder schools likely know more people in the school than those who come up from private or out-of-district schools. Regardless of how many people freshmen may know at first, there are still several times the amount of people in the building than there were at their middle schools. This can be alarming, especially coming from schools with a smaller population.
“What was really scary for me was that I didn’t know anybody,” said Bavya Balaji (9). “The school I went to before was the one I went to since Kindergarten.”
However, entering the years of high school isn’t only a scary experience—not all of the changes are necessarily bad. One thing that commonly pleases freshmen is the open campus of Fairview, giving them more freedom.
“A lot of the freshmen talked about how they were pleasantly surprised with the open campus and how much freedom they had,” said Sheridan, who, along with being a counselor, teaches a freshman seminar class. “They seem to really like the freedom and independence Fairview allows them to have with the open campus and the off periods.”
The amount of freedom freshmen are allowed here at Fairview is something that was shocking for most freshmen. Middle schools are usually strict about what students can do, and where they’re allowed to go, during the school day. While this is a rather thrilling change for freshmen, it also means they have to demonstrate more responsibility.
“It was easy for me to adjust to all of the freedom we get,” said Zachary Bean (9). “Whereas [for] some people who can’t manage their time as well, the freedom might not be good for them.”
What is good for every incoming student is that even though there are difficult or bad adjustments to make, there are also good or easier ones too. There’s no correct amount of time it should take a freshmen student to adjust to high school; it’s common knowledge that everybody is a bit different. Depending on the individual student, some adjustments will take less time to adjust to while that same adjustment may take longer for other students to get used to. But eventually, everyone starts to develop a system, and as they get used to high school life, being in high school feels a lot easier and more comfortable.
“The transition from middle to high school was a bit overwhelming, but once I got used to it, it felt pretty good,” said Sophia Bronstein (9).
So what is the answer to the question of how difficult is it to transition from middle to high school? The answer is different for everyone. But what matters most is not how quick or easy one’s transition is, it’s the knowledge that they’ve made it to high school and that they’ll continue on their paths of living out the experience in their own time.
