This week school begins for thousands of kids in San Benito
County. For many it will be business as usual with a touch of fresh
excitement.
This week school begins for thousands of kids in San Benito County. For many it will be business as usual with a touch of fresh excitement.
For some kindergarteners and high school freshmen, it could be a harrowing experience.
At San Benito High, some 822 freshmen are entering high school. This number is more than double the entire student-body population of Anzar High School. But stepping onto a high school campus, whether it be big or small, is a step into a new world.
Having gone through this experience, we have a few words of advice for the new high school freshmen.
n Yes, the seniors are huge. Some of the boys have beards. The girls are mature. They look as though they are from an older generation. Some of them will intimidate you and enjoy it, but others will be kind and helpful.
n Yes, the school is big. Getting from class to class on time can feel like a cross-country excursion. You’ll get used to it. You can even make it to class in plenty of time once you get that schedule down pat.
n Don’t be embarrassed about how you get to school. Sure, some of the juniors and seniors drive their own cars to school. Sure, you may be on foot, or on a bicycle, or dropped off by a parent. It’s no big deal. No one cares. And someday you may enjoy the thrill of driving yourself to school.
n Watch out for those cliques, but find your own way, and maybe your own groups. Athletes and brainy students tend to have ready-made peer groups. But if you’re a regular kid, or a new kid to the neighborhood, it can be difficult to find your place. Stay cool; it will happen. You may meet some friendly kids in class and the next thing you know, you have people to hang out with.
n Don’t pay too much attention when adults talk about the good old days, or the bad old days. Some of us got stuffed into lockers or garbage cans when we were freshmen. That won’t happen to you. But you have modern pressures that most of us never dreamed of. It seems everything is dangerous these days, even being on the Internet. And the cost of college is so high that it has become an extremely serious financial consideration.
So there are a few things. None of this is approved by the county or state. These are just a few observations from some people who have been there. Like it or hate it, high school is a transformational process we hope you go at with a passion.
