Until this year, I had my high school experience all planned out. It was a straight, predictable path. It was just the right balance of challenging and easy, stressful and fun.
I knew exactly what activities I wanted to do, what clubs I wanted to be involved in, what teachers I wanted to have and what friends I was going to have lockers by and sit by at lunch.
It was perfect.
But, that was when I was a Tiger at Blue Valley High School.
When I got the news during freshman year that they were building a new school and that I’d have to go there for my junior and senior years, I was devastated. All of that planning? Gone. My comfort zone? Poof. Gone.
Throughout freshman and part of sophomore year, I maintained that surly attitude towards Blue Valley Southwest. I was outspoken about my surly attitude and never made any attempt to see the numerous positives about the school.
In fact, there are so many positives, I’m surprised that even my stubborn self managed to conveniently overlook them all.
We all have a chance to start over, start fresh. Nobody knows who the good teachers are and whose classes you should immediately transfer out of. And that’s a good thing.
Nobody here is so caught up in the old way to do things that they miss a fabulous new way to try.
Yeah, it might be hard to learn our way around a new school and rediscover your locker buds and lunch group, but that part won’t last forever. This school offers us more than any other school does and we should be grateful for that.
Instead, we’re whining about leaving some of our friends behind. Old friends aren’t going to disappear from the earth. We can still see them on weekends, and there’s nothing wrong with making new friends for while you’re at school. Who knows, the best friend you’ll ever make might be two seats to the left in your Biology class this year.
If our worst problem is having to transfer to a multimillion dollar school with all the latest technology and innovative learning techniques, our lives are very, very good.
And now that we’re actually here, at this multimillion dollar school, there’s no better time to explore a hobby that’s always been at the back of your brain, because nobody has a head start here. Every club and activity the school is eventually going to offer is going to need help getting started.
If you want to be able to put French Club on your college applications, chances are you’ll have to form the French Club. Which is going to sound more impressive, ‘French Club founder’ or ‘French Club member’?
With everything on the ground here, there are no rigid traditions to uphold and no preconceived notions about classes or clubs — ‘That club is for Emo kids,’ or ‘Only boys take that class.’ Nope. Not here. Every person is on equal footing and everyone is starting over.
And my plan for my entire high school experience? I’ve thrown it away.
Let’s all do our best to start this school off right. We’ve got one chance to make the first year of Blue Valley Southwest awesome. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?
I knew exactly what activities I wanted to do, what clubs I wanted to be involved in, what teachers I wanted to have and what friends I was going to have lockers by and sit by at lunch.
It was perfect.
But, that was when I was a Tiger at Blue Valley High School.
When I got the news during freshman year that they were building a new school and that I’d have to go there for my junior and senior years, I was devastated. All of that planning? Gone. My comfort zone? Poof. Gone.
Throughout freshman and part of sophomore year, I maintained that surly attitude towards Blue Valley Southwest. I was outspoken about my surly attitude and never made any attempt to see the numerous positives about the school.
In fact, there are so many positives, I’m surprised that even my stubborn self managed to conveniently overlook them all.
We all have a chance to start over, start fresh. Nobody knows who the good teachers are and whose classes you should immediately transfer out of. And that’s a good thing.
Nobody here is so caught up in the old way to do things that they miss a fabulous new way to try.
Yeah, it might be hard to learn our way around a new school and rediscover your locker buds and lunch group, but that part won’t last forever. This school offers us more than any other school does and we should be grateful for that.
Instead, we’re whining about leaving some of our friends behind. Old friends aren’t going to disappear from the earth. We can still see them on weekends, and there’s nothing wrong with making new friends for while you’re at school. Who knows, the best friend you’ll ever make might be two seats to the left in your Biology class this year.
If our worst problem is having to transfer to a multimillion dollar school with all the latest technology and innovative learning techniques, our lives are very, very good.
And now that we’re actually here, at this multimillion dollar school, there’s no better time to explore a hobby that’s always been at the back of your brain, because nobody has a head start here. Every club and activity the school is eventually going to offer is going to need help getting started.
If you want to be able to put French Club on your college applications, chances are you’ll have to form the French Club. Which is going to sound more impressive, ‘French Club founder’ or ‘French Club member’?
With everything on the ground here, there are no rigid traditions to uphold and no preconceived notions about classes or clubs — ‘That club is for Emo kids,’ or ‘Only boys take that class.’ Nope. Not here. Every person is on equal footing and everyone is starting over.
And my plan for my entire high school experience? I’ve thrown it away.
Let’s all do our best to start this school off right. We’ve got one chance to make the first year of Blue Valley Southwest awesome. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?