From fire alarms to firecrackers to rallies and more, a freshman’s first weeks at AHS
Vyoma Raman
Staff Writer
Let it be said that no freshman class has ever started the year off with such a bang.
No doubt about it, the beginning of freshman year is tough. Everything is bigger—student body, campus size, homework load—and on top of all that, friends are changing rapidly and sometimes you just feel a little lost in the sea of people.
“There were a lot of juniors and seniors helping me out,” said Desna Bui (9). “I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Surprising to many, upperclassmen are not the scary monsters they’re made out to be—freshmen are not fresh meat. Though high school is still intimidating to many, it has a lot more to offer than junior high.
“It’s very fast paced,” said Katelyn Poon (9), “but there are a lot of new, interesting things you can do and generally there’s more independence.”
Ultimately, what you take away from high school depends on the teachers you have, the classmates you meet, and the friends you make. These can create an impression that lasts your whole life.
“I think I’m going to remember my first day of high school for a very long time,” said Anthony Gibson (9).
This year’s freshmen have had to deal with a bit more than usual. First up: the fire alarms.
“It was kind of funny because they kept being pulled almost everyday,” Romarre Rushing (9) said.
A lot of freshmen found them hilarious, while others were more annoyed about missing class. One thing everyone agreed on, however, is that they were totally unprepared.
“Nobody knew where to go,” Justin Lisungan (9) said. “When I got to my sixth period they told me to go back to my last class, and when I got there I couldn’t find anybody.”
Since they happened so early in the school year, none of the teachers really explained what was supposed to happen when the alarm went off. Saira Mathur, freshman class vice-president, had to make the long trek with an injured leg.
“Every sixth period I would have to go with my crutches all the way out to the tennis courts,” said Mathur. “As soon as I got there, they would give the all-clear and I would have to go all the way back to my classroom.”
As if that wasn’t enough, there was more to this year’s initiation. During brunch on the second Friday of the school year, there was chaos.
“Everyone was screaming and running. It was crazy,” said Glorieanna Borba (9). “People were saying there was a gun so I just started running with them.”
Someone had decided to explode firecrackers in the middle of Hell Hall. The nickname was so accurate; when the gunshot-like bang was heard, people were terrified and began stampeding outside.
“My heart stopped. I didn’t know what to do,” said Noor Abed. “Should I run out? Should I go to my class? I had no idea.”
Later that day, the Welcome Back Rally was postponed… again. This time, the reason cited was safety precautions.
“I was really mad because I was really pumped for that,” Jalina Vargas (9) said. “But I guess it made sense since they could have done another explosion.”
When the rally finally did come about, it fulfilled everyone’s expectations. From chanting to shaved heads, excitement was kept high through the period.
“I was screaming so loud,” said Kalia Rentar. “I almost lost my voice.”
Despite the crazy events of the school year, all freshmen agree that they are slowly getting used to high school. Now, being at AHS is like second nature.
“I think I can just walk into school now and be like, ‘Yay, I’m home!’” said Shreya Ramachandran (9). “It’s that kind of comfortable feeling.”
Eagle Era 