A Freshman's Perspective

By Songyi Pang, Contributing Writer 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPA) — Stanton College Preparatory School is widely recognized as a rigorous school by its own students, faculty, administrators, and those across the country. While this reputation inspires admiration, it can also create pressure for those who experience Stanton’s curriculum. Alongside these feelings of anticipation are ones of excitement for new beginnings and opportunities that lie ahead. Freshmen move from what their middle school teachers called a world of “unicorns and rainbows” into an environment with higher expectations. From balancing demanding coursework to finding clubs and building meaningful friendships, freshman year at Stanton allows for a time of growth and discovery. As I faced this shift myself, I explored both the challenges and opportunities that came with it.

Although I was entering a new environment, the weeks leading up to the first day of school helped acquaint me with the Stanton experience. For many freshmen, their first impression of life as a Stanton student was through the three-day Summer Bridge Program a couple of months before school began. With a mini pep rally overflowing with cheers and energetic performances, the action-packed days provided a glimpse into Stanton’s school spirit. Each activity supported by the welcoming upperclassmen volunteers further enhanced the connection developed between the incoming freshmen and Stanton during these days. My anticipation slowly rose as the new school year inched around the corner. Soon, schedules were released along with a torrent of friends and upperclassmen urging me to keep or change certain classes. It felt easy to fall under their influence, but I ultimately followed my own course. By choosing classes that I found the most rewarding for myself, I looked to maximize my individual goals and potential.

This opportunity soon carried over to the Club Fair which stood out as an exciting yet chaotic event. Booths lined the gym as my peers and I explored the unique activities and opportunities offered. From the Multicultural Club to the Math Honors Society, I eagerly signed up for the chance to join new extracurriculars. Eventually, I felt my excitement grow for the experiences that awaited me in my freshman journey.

With my first weeks now complete, I settled into Stanton’s academic and social environment, becoming accustomed to the school’s expectations. I returned to my classes each day recognizing more familiar faces and I adapted to the packed content on syllabi along with intimidating first assignments. I soon learned to never underestimate the power of reaching out to others, whether for advice or general clarification. In this sense, social media has served as a lovely helping hand in multiple ways. Sending a simple message has often allowed me to grasp opportunities that otherwise would have slipped through my fingers, such as confirming volunteer event dates or just building a connection with someone.

Besides effective communication, there are many other strengths I picked up in navigating through emerging difficulties. Managing my homework eventually posed a challenge as I would misjudge how long some tasks would take and often spent too much time on less important assignments. With tips from fellow students, I have gradually improved this issue while balancing my sleep schedule, homework, and time with my family. Despite this, my time management skills were challenged again. I found myself added to the Teams pages of numerous clubs, realizing that I had joined far too many than initially expected because I felt pressured to be involved. I encountered overlapping dates for meetings and activities, and it became difficult to determine how to narrow down the list. However, by learning more about what each club offered and considering my priorities, I refined my list to become more manageable and satisfactory. This process not only eased earlier pressure but also highlighted the freshman advantage of having time to explore a variety of interests before committing to something long-term. Time management is not an ability that can be mastered at once but rather one that improves progressively with the motivation to practice. Such a skill plays a crucial role and learning to handle it accordingly does wonders for both a student’s performance and their attitude towards school.

Some students may see freshman year as a mere introduction to high school that lacks significance or impact to their own future. People often place more importance on junior and senior year grades due to college application season. With added responsibilities upon a heavier workload, upperclassmen must strive even harder to maintain a strong academic performance in addition to fulfilling higher education goals. Nevertheless, freshman year is filled with opportunities to learn and lead up to those experiences. Students are given the flexibility to explore various interests as well as develop a foundation for success. In my time as a freshman so far, I found such freedom helpful in my navigation through all that Stanton has to offer.

The current challenges I have faced as a freshman felt overwhelming at times, but each one acted as a stepping stone that guided me to growth. Keeping an open mind remains the key to navigating these moments with optimism. Through my journey so far, I have discovered the value of building meaningful connections, which have continuously served as both a support system and a source of motivation. As I look ahead, I aim to take advantage of every opportunity, improving myself and crafting the foundation for a memorable high school experience.