Transitioning to a new environment can be a daunting experience, especially when one is younger than most. Cassie McCabe went around interviewing the new freshman on how well they are adapting to this massive change in their lives. She asked three important, general questions to determine where their opinions lie. The interviewees include Isabella Monti, Audrey Smith, Tristan Hart, Megan Keonen, Tommy Hartnett, Jack Germain, Elbe Padden, and Jane Melia. Here is what they have to say about the new year. 

What is the biggest change when it comes to transitioning from middle school to HHS?

Isabella: “Definitely the amount of homework, is a lot more than expected. I guess I just thought that going into the first year of high school the teachers would take it easy on us, but that really hasn’t been true so far.”

Audrey: “The biggest change was navigating the hallways and the drop schedule. In middle school we had every class on basically the same floor, here I have gotten lost a ton.”

Tristan: “The biggest change was probably finding classes because in the middle school everything was so close to each other but here in the high school, it’s so much bigger so at first it was difficult finding classes but it did get better over time.”

Megan: “I would say the biggest change from transitioning from HMS to HHS is probably the workload. There is a lot more homework and the pace of classes is much faster and teachers have higher expectations regarding your independence when completing this work.”

Tommy: “The biggest change when it comes to transitioning from HMS to HHS is definitely the amount of homework you get I feel like also it’s more up to me to learn the curriculum outside of school. I feel like you definitely need to be more independent.”

Jack: “The biggest change when it comes to transitioning from HMS to HHS is definitely the homework, given through the week and weekend. I always end up staying up till around 10:00-10:30 doing homework on a weekday. Because I play a sport the time after school I have time to do homework gets cut in half.” 

Elbe: “Throughout my first weeks of high school I have found many similarities and differences. One of the biggest changes I have faced is the amount of homework I have gotten compared to the amount I got in middle school.”

Jane: “The biggest change is that the layout is very difficult to understand. I feel like I’m always getting lost. The different hallways for each subject don’t also help because it takes me a very long time to get from class to class.” 

Is there anything here in HHS that is better or worse than it was at HMS?

Isabella: “Carrying a backpack is definitely helpful, no lockers. Nice to have everything there. At Hingham Middle School I was always so stressed about running to my locker to grab the things I need and then running back to my next class, but it’s nice to just walk from class to class.” 

Audrey: “The school spirit is much better here at HHS, and we all have pride in our Harbormen as sports have become more intense. Also, the clubs have become much bigger, and more people are involved in them.”

Tristan: “One thing that is better at the high school is that there are so many more clubs and after-school activities that you wouldn’t get at middle school. For example at freshman orientation, they had so many clubs available like some you wouldn’t even think of. I like that there are more options and anyone can be included in the school doing something that they enjoy.” 

Megan: “I’m enjoying high school more because I love participating in school sports and I feel like you get more opportunities to make friends in other grades as well whereas middle school feels more restricted to just talking to people from your own grade.”

Tommy: “I would say that the high school definitely has better lunch and a lot more independence but I really liked the middle school library. Also, the middle school is just a lot more modern because it recently got renovated so I would definitely say that.” 

Jack: “I enjoy the school’s openness so you could take multiple routes to get to your classroom. I find it better not to have a compacted hallway like HMS because there’s more room. Also because the hallways aren’t as compacted it is easier to move around and doesn’t nearly smell as bad.”

Elbe: “So far I have liked HHS a lot more than I liked middle school.  I have found that it is easier to find clubs and sports you are interested in due to the large variety offered at the high school, which has also led me to make friends in other grades.”

Jane: “One thing that is much better at HHS than HMS is that there is a lot more freedom. I feel more independent and that is very nice. However, the homework aspect is not better, I am always very stressed and overwhelmed with work.”

Overall, how would you rate your high school experience out of 10, and why?

Isabella: “Overall I would give it a rating of seven because there is a lot more freedom, but also a lot of work is piling up. I really like how diverse the whole experience is, especially the football games. The themes are really fun to dress up too.” 

Audrey: “I would rate it an eight out of ten because it has been a big adjustment that has got me scrambling with a lot of work. But, it is such a fun and involved environment compared to middle school so I would rate it an eight out of ten.”

Tristan: “I would rate my experience at the high school a nine so far for many different reasons. I expected high school to be really challenging and serious but it has been so much fun. I have joined clubs, I do soccer after school, and I have met a lot of new people like upperclassmen. So far everyone has been really nice and it’s been a positive environment because of the students and teachers.” 

Megan: “Overall, I would rate my high school experience a nine out of ten so far just because the homework is a lot, especially trying to balance it out with coming home so late from sports and not having much time after school. But other than that it has been an enjoyable experience and I’m excited to see what the next four years hold for me!”

Tommy: “I would rate my high school experience so far as an eight just because it is kind of hard to stay on top of all the work and contribute to extracurriculars simultaneously.”

Jack: “I would rate my house school experience an eight out of ten so far. I think this because of all the new opportunities and team sports. Also, the sports games are fun to go to as a student of HHS. I find my teachers give us more responsibility which I enjoy instead of guiding us through the year.”

Elbe: “So far I would rate my high school experience an eight out of ten.  My days are busier but I have found that it has benefited me in more ways than I can imagine.”

Jane: “I would rate it a seven out of ten. It has been very fun and an exciting new adventure! However, I feel a lot more pressure to do well than I did at HMS because people have told me that my GPA in freshman year sets me GPA for the most part for the rest of my high school career.”