Upon entering junior high, seventh graders are thrust into a new world of independence, responsibility, and change.  Some good, some bad. To gain some perspective into this world, I sat down with seventh grader Lillie Pierce, who holds several opinions and 50% of my DNA.

Q. What was your impression of what high school would be like?

A. I thought that it would be like what I’ve seen on TV.  A lot of people, clubs, sports, and all that. Our teachers used to tell us that junior high would be a lot harder than elementary school and that we’d have to be more responsible with things.  They told us a lot of things about junior high that made it seem like a huge change.

Q. Was it anything like you expected?

A. There were some things that were challenging to adjust to, but being on time and responsible were the most important things to remember.  In elementary school, we would all leave class at the same time and walk together, but now everyone has a different schedule and it’s our job to get to class on time.

Q. What were some of the negative and positive aspects of it?

A. There’s more independence, which is good and bad.  We can walk to class on our own, but sometimes you can lose track of time.  We don’t have lockers or cubbies, so you don’t have to leave class because you forgot something.  It’s mostly good, but the day seems longer without recess. I’m excited about homecoming, though.

Q. What do you think about junior and senior high being in one building?

A. There’s a lot of people, but junior high is mainly on one side of the building, so it’s not as bad as you would expect.  There’s also not as many people during lunch as there used to be.

Q. Have you made any new friends since the first day?

A. Not really, most of my classes have 7th graders in them and I already know most of them.  I usually hang out with my friend, Cheyenne.

Q. Overall, how was your first-day experience?

A. I think it’s alright now, but I’ll probably enjoy it more once I get used to it.  Once I remember my schedule better and know where things are.