Every year, a few hundred freshmen enter the realm of Arlington High School, unaware of what their next four years will hold. Each student coming from a different place and dealing with the stresses of their busy 21st century lives. Before high school starts up after summer, upcoming freshmen ask around to get information on their first year in a new, unknown place.

Often upperclassmen scare the younger kids into believing that high school is always hard and never fun. The phrase ‘All work and no play’ is non existent in the minds of the younger kids entering AHS.

Faith Graf (‘21) shared that the scariest thing someone told her about high school before attending on her own was that the older students were uptight and not welcoming. In her own experience, she disagrees with the statement and hasn’t seen any such behavior.

Graf, who had much to say on that she admires about Arlington High School, including the architecture and the school spirit, also stated the high school is not as captivating as she would have hoped. But she feels more respected as an individual in high school than she did in middle school.  

The reality is that high school is more difficult than middle school in almost every way possible, which should be expected as the kids are getting older and have more responsibilities to get them ready for the real world. However the fear of coming to high school as a freshman often takes over and when the students come they realize that they have less to worry about.

On the other hand high school can be much better than middle school. When asked about the things they are excited for, the most common responses usually include dress code, freedom, and the gum policy.

Ella Strittmatter (‘21) is a freshman who plays on the JV soccer team. She also enjoys the electives and choices of classes here at this school. In the upcoming years at AHS, she is looking forward to “meeting new people and playing sports,” Strittmatter said.

Each year the students continue to grow and learn, freshman year is scary at first. But after a while, coming to AHS seems normal.

Allison DeBerry (‘20), now a sophomore here at Arlington feels as if she knows more about life and people than she did before attending. Allison got the opportunity to play varsity softball her freshman year, giving her a more personal experience with the upperclassmen.

Arlington High School has much to offer freshmen and all other grades. There is still the hard work and countless hours of dedication it takes to be a student.

For everyone, the high school experience is different. For freshman their first few days are scary and overwhelming, but eventually they become familiar with the new surroundings and feel as if they belong.

“This is not High School Musical, we still have a job to do,” Graf said.