As soon as the first bell rings, a freshman’s high school life begins. Many thoughts float in their heads as they walk through the side doors of the gymnasium.

What am I going to experience?

Will I make any friends?

Where are my classes?

The questions are endless.

The opening assembly started off with a bang… literally. Sights, sounds and new faces were everywhere. The freshmen were greeted with applause from the mentors. The school songs were sung with the band. Lastly the student council, principal, teachers, and staff offered supportive words to the freshmen.

The freshmen wore faces of awe, excitement, nervousness, confusion and many more emotions. It reminded me of my own experiences of my first day of high school two years ago. I understood what they were going through because entering high school is a daunting yet exciting experience.

When asked about her first impressions of McKinley High School, one freshman said, “It looks nice, and the people are well-behaved.”

Shortly after the opening assembly, the freshmen were separated into their Ignition groups. I followed the groups who had outdoor activities on the front field. It was a bustle of activity: mentees laughing and working together in activities; mentors giving praise, directions, and hints; and music blasting in the background.

When asked about her thoughts on the activities, one freshman said, “It’s fun. I think that my mentor’s nice.”

The mentees seemed to have enjoyed their activities, and learned the importance of Ignition. Mentees  thought that the activities were helpful to their transition in high school.

She said, “Yes. You meet new friends. The demonstrations are helpful.”

In the end, the freshmen appear to be doing fine in their transition to high school. Freshman Orientation was a success in helping our newest additions to the McKinley family.