Middle School — Here We Come!
Bay Elementary students discuss their anticipation over the big move up.
Photo by Alison Mckeough
4th and 5th graders from Bay Elementary join seniors from the Red & Black for a writing workshop.
Being 18, it is very intriguing to explore the minds of younger students. Today we talked about 5th grade and what their likes are; it’s crazy to see how much things have changed since I was that young. Luckily, I was able to have a discussion with a group of 5th graders — Mia, Erin, Alexandra, Sophia, and Brenna — about their upcoming transition into middle school. Expressed with much excitement, and also fear, these girls gave interesting insight to what they are most excited about, and just a little bit nervous about, regarding middle school.
Loading ...These 5th graders attended a field trip to South Ocean Middle School where they were given tours, tried out the lockers, and talked about bullying. This was part of the reason why we decided to write this article (they were very adamant about this topic). Here are their excitements about middle school:
Brenna: Freedom.You can roam the halls without teachers. No lines.”
Alex: “To meet new people, definitely”
Sophia: “Lockers. They seem so cool, like you’re a “big kid” having a locker.”
Mia: “Make new friends”
Erin: “Seeing old teachers like Ms. Baer and Ms.Lynch”
It was awesome because they all had different elations about this experience and it was so interesting to be able to listen to their opinions. However, as every transition has, they also had many fears:
Brenna: “Not being on time. You need to be responsible now and I’m scared I will be late to my classes and forget.”
Alex: “I’m scared I’ll be unprepared, not having someone to remind me about stuff all the time.”
Sophia: “Having to learn schedules because teachers don’t tell you where you have to go next.”
Mia: “The size of the school. It’s so big that I saw hallways there today I didn’t even know existed.”
Erin: “Getting lost.”
Clearly, the girls have many opinions about their upcoming entrance into middle school. Overall, they were mostly excited, which is always good to hear. It was such a pleasure to be able to talk to them and give them some advice. I wish the best for them and hope they continue to write and eventually be a part of The Red and Black. Also, girls, if you’re reading this, don’t worry about middle school. I can tell you’re ready just from speaking with you for 40 minutes. Have fun and good luck! Cherish every minute!
Contributors: Mia Grieco, Erin James, Alexandra Camitiello, Sophia Schaeffer, Brenna Connelly
Grade 12
"Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai
