Starting off the 2020 school year has been very challenging for some students, especially the freshmen. When entering Addison Trail High School, students immediately begin to realize how caring and welcoming the staff members are. With that in mind, where does that leave the class of 2024?
Unfortunately, this year’s newcomers never got to experience walking through the doors of Addison Trail. Since this is a unique year, the adventure for freshmen began with the hesitant first-click of “Join Zoom Meeting”. A lot of new students believe that high school is going to be full of stress and anxiety, but that is not always the case. When students are fresh from middle school, they tend to expect the worst from high school.
Just like the rest of her class, freshman Brooke Greaves was expecting a lot of work and difficult classes. “I thought it’d be hard just based off of my classes…I expected lots of work, and if I’m being honest, I don’t feel like I have a ton of work,” said Greaves.
Many freshmen felt that high school was going to be more challenging because online learning seems a lot scarier than it really is. While high school may already be a new adjustment, freshmen have been determined to make the most out of their year.
As expected, many new students did not believe that high school activities would be occurring due to the pandemic. Addison Trail has found a way for many activities to still operate, going above and beyond their expectations.
While Addison Trail is trying its best to make this a fun and engaging year for everyone, there are still certain aspects that new students cannot experience. “High school is still fun online, but we get to miss out on a lot of things like homecoming, sports, assemblies, and simply meeting new people,” said freshman Natalie Lupa.
Lupa is making it her mission to get involved this year, despite the pandemic. Even though school may be online, Lupa refused to let the coronavirus pandemic crush the reality of her first year of high school. “I was a part of the AT Girls Cross Country team this year which was super fun. I’m also planning on joining soccer and volleyball. Some goals I have for high school are to get good grades and make lots of new friends,” said Lupa.
Just like typical high school students, freshmen are still working hard in order to achieve their goals. Whether they realize it or not, their teachers are very proud of the work that the students are demonstrating in their classes.
With no precedence due to the uniqueness of remote learning, Mark Olson, who works in the Social Studies Department, is proud to say that his students have exceeded expectations. “I think every student in this situation, no matter what they are going through, has really been able to overcome a lot of adversity. I think especially for freshmen, who have never had the opportunity to really get into AT and experience what it is to be a Blazer….I am incredibly proud of what the freshmen have done so far,” said Olson.
Freshmen have been able to persevere and demonstrate their hard work and outstanding effort throughout this time of uncertainty. Regardless of their expectations, the overall reality of this year’s first semester has been unlike anything anyone could have imagined. Looking past the pandemic, it is reassuring to know that the freshman student body has still been able to get a meaningful high school experience.
