For a middle schooler, lunch was a time of socializing and scurrying to finish an assignment before the next class. In high school, it’s a race from class to class, with new expectations, even bigger challenges, and a new group of faces.
Transitioning from middle to high school is one of the most significant moments in a student’s life. For freshmen Bruna Plafoni and Sadie Parker, adjusting to this new environment means finding a steady balance between academics, social life, sports, and this new chapter in their lives. Plafoni plays on the Carlmont freshmen girls volleyball team, and Parker is a JV cheerleader and involved in Music Mentors.
“After volleyball, I usually get home around 7 p.m., and then I try to shower and start my homework. It normally takes me around two hours to finish all my work, which causes a lot of rush to finish in time,” Plafoni said.
Every night, it’s the same grind. Between volleyball and cheer, Parker and Plafoni deal with packed schedules and hours of homework, which increases their stress levels as they rush to complete it all. With so many hours of extracurricular activities, these two students find themselves overwhelmed with work every single night.
According to Carlmont Spanish teacher Eva Parker, the transition from middle to high school reveals a whole new side of students, one that is more social and genuine.
Middle school students are often still navigating basic emotional and academic growth, whereas high school students are starting to think deeper about the kind of people they want to become. In addition, students become increasingly more involved in extracurricular activities and school events during high school.
“I’m involved in Music Mentors and cheerleading. I’m not too sure what I want to do next year,” Sadie Parker said.
There is immense pressure on high school students to know how they want to spend their four years and even their life after graduation. However, allowing them to explore, try new things, be uncertain, and change their minds is completely okay — and often where the most purposeful growth occurs.
The drastic transition from middle to high school can be challenging, but it’s an important reminder that high school is a time for exploration and growth.
“You only get to be a kid once, so I think it’s important to let kids be kids. Let them make mistakes while they are young,” Eva Parker said.
