Middle School vs. High School

"Graduating" from middle school was a glorious day full of promise and hope that I anxiously awaitted since the first day of eighth grade. I was excited to wear blue polos and blue pants (at long last!) and to have more options in the classes I could take. By eighth grade, I was already taking Biology, Algebra I, and Geometry- I felt like a true high school student. I didn't really expect there to be much difference between my middle school years and high school years, but boy was I wrong. High school definitely came with more freedoms but- well, let's just let Spiderman take it from here.

The largest shift from middle school to high school was the greater sense of responsibility that I had to take for myself and my actions, and that you will have to take come next August. Teachers will no longer spoon-feed you anything. Performing well in a class becomes something that is entirely up to you, and no one else. At the beginning of the year, each teacher will give you a syllabus with the rules, expectations, and procedures for their class, and from that moment on it is entirely up to you to follow their rules. The tired old excuses "I didn't know", "No one told me", or "I forgot" will not hold up in high school classes. Teachers will not baby you each stop of the way when you're doing a project or constantly remind you of deadlines. This might seem intimidating in scary, but it makes you a stronger, more dedicated student. By putting in a new level of effort and really taking responsibility for your own work, you learn a lot more.

Another huge shift is the variety of classes that you'll be able to take as a high school student. Of course, this means that choosing classes is a bigger deal (one that I'll discuss on here in the coming weeks), but it's also an opportunity to explore your interests and possibly discover a new passion.

BUT these new and exciting classes are also a lot more difficult. There's a greater amount of in-depth content that you will have to understand which means a lot of time spent studying!

The final big contrast between middle school and high school is the greater options in terms of clubs and extra-curricular activities that is out there for you to explore! At Mater there are dozens and dozens of clubs, so you will surely find something that you are interested in, and if you don't, you can always start your own club!

There you have it folks. Now, I don't want any of you to feel overwhelmed or nervous about high school, it is a very exciting time (and way better than middle school in my opinion). The shifts will come and you will adjust and adapt naturally, growing and becoming a better student and person along the way. Good luck to you all!

All the best,

Laura