Most of the confusion associated with freshman year can be linked to the lack of knowledge incoming freshman have about the way Carlmont operates. Here are some tips and general information to help freshman and uninformed upperclassmen survive the year.

BELLS:
In the mornings and during lunch there are three warning bells: the ten minute, the six minute, and the one minute bell.
Each bell has a certain distinct ring, but the chances are that despite the four years of practice you will have, you will never be able to tell the bells apart. Freshman Ella Reich said, “For me, I’m always confused in the morning before school starts. I never know which bell is the five minute bell or the one minute bell or the late bell.”

(Quick tip: You can gauge the bells based upon your own sense of time or the reaction of passing students. Still, if you have absolutely no idea which bell has rung, you can always ask another student.)
Due to the fact that the bells are timed in accordance with an unreliable clock in the office, there is a chance that they’ll be slightly off on any given day.

BATHROOMS/ WATER FOUNTAINS:
A common misconception about campus bathrooms is that they are all outdated and unsanitary, but there are newer and cleaner bathrooms on campus. The bathrooms in the newly constructed Biotech building and Performing Arts Center are the newest bathrooms on campus and if you’re lucky enough to have a class in either of those building, you should take advantage of them.
(Quick tip: The best water fountain on campus is on the right side of E hall. Sure it looks like a toilet, but it has the coolest water and the best water pressure.)

RULES AND PROCEDURES:
At Carlmont there are some procedures that are necessary to learn. In middle school if you needed to leave campus you had to be picked up by a parent. However, because Carlmont has a large percentage of student drivers, Carlmont has a system that allows students to leave school for special circumstances.
To leave campus you must take a note that has been signed by a parent and explains the reason you will be leaving campus to the attendance room in A9 before the school day starts. You are then given a yellow slip of paper, which you must show to your teacher when you leave their class.
(Quick tip: Commit your ID number to memory because like in prison, your ID number is your new first name.)

LIBRARY:
The Carlmont library can be a great academic resource. The library is open Monday through Friday from 7:30a.m. to 3:30p.m. All Carlmont students have library account that are assigned freshman year.
This year, due to under funding, Carlmont library only has two librarians. This means that there is a higher chance that the library could be closed. During these times, there will be a sign posted on the front library door explaining the closure.
(Quick tip: If for any reason you need to print, check out a book, or use any of the library resources, you should plan ahead. You never want to miss a deadline if the library is unexpectedly closed.)
The Carlmont library has a lot of rules and procedures that should be followed, such as: always show your IDs when in the library, no food or drink in the library, and no phones or music players. To learn more about the library rules, go to Carlmont High School website under the student tab and search for the library link.
Printing at the library is not always free. The first four pages of text that you print at the library are free, but every page after that cost 10 cents each. To print a page with graphics cost 25 cents each. (Quick tip: If you want to print for free you should go to the tutoring center after school.)

TUTORING:
Most Carlmont students don’t know it, but there is a tutoring center after school on campus. The Tutoring Center is open on Tuesdays,Wednesdays, and Thursdays in room D23 from 2:30p.m. to 4:15p.m. At the tutoring center you can get help with your core classes, research a paper, or just study in a quiet place.

The last bit of advice that will aid you in your academic career at Carlmont is that you don’t have to be in a rush; sometimes it is nice to stop for a minute and enjoy campus life.