The Freshmen Perspective
For most incoming students, the first semester is often the hardest. But even amongst the masses of confused, lost, troubled and mentally disturbed students known simply as “freshmen”, there exists a select few who not only must adapt to the mouse maze of interconnected hallways, clogged staircases and hidden classrooms but must also find a way to simultaneously make new friends, keep in touch with the old, and quickly make a name for themselves other than “freshman.” These are a special brand of students: new arrivals, transfers, exchanges, whatever you want to call them. Due to films and literature and other entertainment mediums, many myths have arisen surrounding the fabled “new kid” experience. Your friends here at the Echo went out into the masses to track down a hand full of these fabled few and help sift the fact from the fiction.
One thing that all of the people that were interviewed said was that you soon lose touch with the people from your old school. “We don’t get to see each other face to face anymore,” says Freshman, Patricia Cuahuey, who was speaking of her friends from her old school in Bloomington. “But we talk to each other on the phone all the time.”
Another thing that everyone said was that their experience here has been positive. “The teachers have been pretty help full as far as making me feel at home,” says Cuahuey. “I also met another student who was new, and this helped me a lot. I thought I would be the only new kid.”
When asked about their expectations before coming here, everyone said they expected Urbana High School to be a good school. Nothing has changed. Ellie England, a freshman and also a “new kid,” came to UHS from a small private middle school in Champaign. She said she was looking forward to the school’s “diversity”, and much larger campus. My old school was strict, small and a little claustrophobic. I like Urbana High School much better.”
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