Looking back on year one at Mac
These four freshmen friends freaked out, then faked it and finally fit in fabulously
Mitchell, Dart, Thomas and Hritz-Jones are already looking ahead to their second year at Mac as sophomores. Photo by Katie Nalle.
June 10, 2018
The beginning of freshman year brings a fresh start and many big changes for incoming freshmen. It may be stressful, but the memories made during freshman year will likely stick with every student throughout high school and beyond.
“The start of this year was a little bit nerve-wracking for me,” freshman Augustus Hritz-Jones said, “I was coming from a private middle school, and I really had no idea how this year was going to turn out for me, but now I feel like I fit in pretty well here, and, compared to the beginning of the year, things are a little less serious, and I feel like I can be myself more.”
There are so many different people that you can talk to about so many different things that it’s more than just a fine arts school.
— Augustus Hritz-Jones on what Mac is really like
The beginning of any school year is bound to be stressful, but McCallum’s freshman seem to agree that as the year is coming to a close, they feel at home in McCallum’s halls; “I was so ready for a fresh start at McCallum,” freshman, Georgia Thomas added, “I was really anticipating meeting new people, but at the same time I was really nervous. I sort of just faked it until I made it.”
Freshman, Ella Dart agreed, saying: “I was freaking out at the beginning of this year, but I realized pretty quickly that the feeling of middle school and high school are more or less the same once you get used to the change.”
This year’s freshmen were also pleasantly surprised by how different McCallum was from what they had expected; Hritz-Jones said “You come here and it’s like ‘Oh, it’s a fine arts school,’ but actually there are so many different groups and there are so many different people that you can talk to about so many different things that it’s more than just a fine arts school.”
Dart felt the same way.
“I thought that it was going to be more or less the same as middle school considering I was going to be seeing a lot of the same people and be taking similar classes, but I actually ended up meeting a lot of new people and my classes weren’t at all what I was expecting them to be. I had to completely change the way I study and take notes, and I had to adapt to a totally new schedule because of activities inside and outside of school. It was more than I was expecting overall.”
I had to completely change the way I study and take notes, and I had to adapt to a totally new schedule because of activities inside and outside of school.
— Ella Dart on her adjustment to high school
Now that the end of the year is approaching, freshmen are readily awaiting the start of their sophomore year which is just around the corner.
Freshman, Holly Mitchell said: “I know that it’s going to be a ton more stressful and hectic, but I’m so excited to finally be a sophomore.”
Dart agreed, saying: “I’m already expecting it to be a ton of work and that I’ll have to put in a lot more effort, but for some reason I feel completely ready for it.”
The memories we make during freshman year will stay with us for a long time. Dart said: “The experiences I had this year and the memories I made with my friends are going to be things that I’m going to remember, even after high school.”
