Last year’s Grade 8s make the leap to high school

The last year of elementary school couldn’t come sooner for this year’s Grade 9s! Recess is a thing of the past now. Welcome to BMLSS! Starting high school can be rough at times, but with a support system of 1000 people, you feel right at home. On September 1, the Grade 9s had their first group orientation followed by their first day of high school on the 6th. Think of how nervous you were on your first day of high school: stress, fear, anxiety -- all common emotions shown by a Grade 9.

When asked how he liked high school so far, Tristan George, who came from BPS, said, “I like it because there’s lots of people to get lost in!”

“I really like all of my classes” said Justin Cunningham, who came from Macaulay.

It’s not just the electives that this year’s Grade 9s are enjoying, but also the mandatory classes. Lila Varga, from Muskoka Falls, is loving her non-electives. “I am enjoying them. They aren’t as hard as I expected. (Although that’s not something to tell my teachers!).”

Tristan says one thing about high school that really shocked him was that “I really wasn’t expecting my teachers to roast me in front of the entire class!!”

Every Grade 9, throughout their first year, either falls on the spiral stairs or trips in the hallway. Embarrassing? Yes. But also a ritual that welcomes you into high school. Don’t worry you aren’t the only one who’s had an embarrassing moment. This is what happened to Cameron Roberts, who came here from Monck, during his science class with Mr. Rae: “I was sitting in science class and Mr. Rae was showing us some things we would be using in the lab, like a test tube rack. I was joking around with my friends and didn’t notice the class had gone silent when I said, ‘Nice rack, Mr.Rae!’ The whole class heard me and started laughing, after a few seconds of mortification, I joined in. It was so funny and I will most likely remember it for a long time!”

Choosing what high school to come to isn't always an easy decision. Maria Lawrence made a huge choice of leaving the people and friends she’s always known from M.M.O and going to a public secondary school. However, she says, “I feel I made a good choice coming here, there are so many more opportunities!”

When you come from a local school, you enter into high school with the same friends you’ve had all your life; however, for Angelica Oliver, things were going to be a little harder and different. Angelica moved from Chanoine Beaudet in St-Pascal, Quebec, to Bracebridge this past summer. Angelica has made many new friends already who have made this transition so much easier for her. She's even made some friends from Huntsville.

Coming to high school isn’t like it is portrayed in the movies. There are so many new people to meet and befriend that it can be extremely overwhelming. In Grade 8 high school scares you. It seems like such a monumental step in life, and everybody has their own opinion on it. “The teachers are extremely strict” they said. “You’ll never see your friends” they said. But you can choose to see your friends and make time for them.

High school: it may be hard/annoying/awkward/irritating/etc. but admit it, you're going to miss it when it ends.

(Some quotes have been edited for clarity and appropriate content.)