In a Bear Facts first, we track a freshman through her first year of high school, Post-COVID style. How did the pandemic affect this Zoomer? The year will decide.

It’s a new school year for Brewster High School. With COVID-19 slowly becoming an afterthought in the minds of the public, the 2022-2023 school year will be the most normal one yet since the pandemic in 2020. Along with this new, normal year means a new class of freshmen entering BHS. The class of 2026 made their way into high school, which is quite the adjustment coming from H.H. Wells Middle School. The new building, rules, and expectations are aspects of the high school that the 9th graders have to learn and adapt to, which can seem exciting or intimidating.

Independence and freedom is a common word used among freshmen to describe BHS. More opportunities, clubs, groups, and sports are available in the high school which gives more indulgence to find out interests and make connections with new people, something that is useful for the new 9th graders. Many freshmen have also mentioned their fondness of the leniency of self-expression through their wardrobe and appearance. This has allowed some to have the freedom to create an identity through the attire and garments they wear to school everyday. Being given independence and getting treated more like an adult is an adaptation, yet a positive attribute, of Brewster High School. Having the option to make your own decisions about what is best for you and your school experience gives a sense of empowerment and comfort for new 9th graders who never really got that opportunity in middle school.

With these great perks of high school, however, comes along the scary part of it. The majority of upperclassmen have stated freshman year was one of the hardest to adjust to for them, as there is so much to conform and accommodate to. First, navigating the building can seem daunting at first sight. The hallways are long and the system of where classrooms are located is different compared to the middle school, which can be confusing for the new class. Instead of classrooms being sorted by teams like in H.H. Wells, they are grouped together by subject. Though this would be deemed easier, it can be hard to find classes. If you don’t know where each subject wing is in the building it can be confusing. Other rooms like the LGI, ILC, and the iTheater can be hard to find if you aren’t sure where to look. Fortunately, the high school usually takes the average student 1-2 weeks to figure out, but it can be overwhelming in the beginning of the year. Secondly, the pressure of graduating high school and going to college or the work force finally begins to set in. It can be nerve-racking and staggering to think about, especially with the idea that everything that is done from now until senior year can have a huge impact on our future. If you are a freshman, you have most likely heard the same phrase numerous times: “These four years will go by quickly.”

Though it may be true, it is still a mind-boggling concept to think about. It’s hard to believe that in four years we will be making our way into the world on our own as adults and that we only have a couple years left to just be a kid.