On Aug. 11, students grudgingly made their way back into Blue Valley High School. They were probably the most awake they would be until the next break. is was, at this point, routine. They had all gone through it at least once before.

But for the newest additions to the school, being surrounded by new people, classrooms and teachers was a stressful, exciting and confusing experience.

“Kindergarten was a lot more fun, a lot less work.” Freshman Jessica Wilson said. “Here, it’s very stressful.’”

Change is, of course, always a part of switching schools, and sometimes it isn’t easy, but while some students may have a hard time, others transition more smoothly.

Wilson said that “just… organization. Writing stuff down. Remembering to do stuff ,” has helped her to stay on top of the workload.
In the many unfamiliar classes, over 400 freshmen have made unexpected friends and had new experiences.

“I decided to manage the boys’ basketball team.” Teacher Kelsey Bakalar said. “As a freshman, I was the only girl, so I got to travel with the team, and go stay in my own hotel room, and made some really great friends that way.”

Along with the outside changes experiences, many people also undergo internal changes and come into themselves.

“[ They are] figuring out where they belong, and kind of trying to figure out what their ‘thing’ is going to be,” Bakalar said.