When transitioning from middle school to high school, freshmen sometimes have a completely different vision of what high school will be like. Their expectations can sometimes be quite different from the reality.

Many times, freshmen usually look forward to making new friends but still staying close to their old friends. However, that can sometimes be difficult if they have no classes together. High school is the time to build strong, long-lasting friendships that will help shape you as an individual. Freshmen should use the opportunity of entering a new school to make new friends with similar interests.

Freshmen also believe that when entering high school, the campus will be huge and they will get lost. Back in middle school, the school was more familiar and everything was easier to find. High school is much larger and can seem more intimidating. While at first it may seem like high school campuses are hard to navigate, students quickly learn about the places on campus. This is also one of the reasons that Yorba Linda High School has a Link Crew. They are prepared to help freshmen as much as possible to getting used to the new environment.

Another fear that some freshmen often have is that high school teachers will be much more strict, unfriendly, and less helpful than middle school teachers. When first entering high school, Kayla Woodson(9th) believed that “the classes will be boring.” However, after the first few weeks, she realized that “they are actually enjoyable.” In reality, the staff at Yorba Linda High School is extremely supportive, and they make learning more interesting for students.

The ideas that freshmen have are usually emphasized by TV shows and movies. Unfortunately, TV shows and movies generally give the wrong impressions of high school. Obviously, not many people would believe that it is like High School Musical, but freshmen often base their expectations on what they see and hear. Since many students watch TV shows about teens in high school, the shows can influence their expectations of high school. Parents and siblings can also influence one’s views. Casey Morand(9th), a freshman at Yorba Linda High School, mentioned that she would hear “some stories and rumors…  in middle school” about what high school was like. While the idea of high school can be intimidating at first, the reality is that everyone is here to learn, support each other, and enjoy high school together.