The 2023-2024 academic school year at Hills is in full effect. The triumph of students struggling to navigate flooded hallways, adapting to different social settings, Jupiter, and once again preparing for the college application process is all in full swing. To gain insight into the perspectives of the underclassmen and upperclassmen at FHHS, The Beacon has taken the initiative to interview students of both the freshmen and senior classes.
As many can agree, it can be difficult to navigate through the hallways. Freshman Ameera Vishudanand, a student in the Carl Sagan STEM Program, shared her experience as a first-year student in attendance. “The first week of school was hard trying to navigate my way throughout the school, it’s always so crowded and my classes are all over the place. But during the second week and as I got further into the school year, it became a lot easier.”
She noted how everyone was in the same situation, and that it may take time to adjust to the crowds. However, she learned the different pathways and stairwells that were accessible to take. She additionally found the transition from middle to high school not as difficult, as most classes are in different rooms.
Similarly to her peers, she agreed that there is often a large amount of work to complete in a short time constraint. She mentioned how her math class often requires her to complete a lot of work that can at times be difficult to manage. However, she feels supported by her teachers academically, as they clarify any concerns when needed. Her goals include passing the regents, and midterms and maintaining a high GPA for the start of her high school career. One event from this current school year that she is looking forward to is the spring festival of 2024.
When asked what advice she would share with incoming freshmen, Ameera advised, “Find a map of the school to avoid getting lost.”
A current senior who chose to remain anonymous also shared her experience with The Beacon as a first-year student in the FHHS community. How does it compare to her high school experience before attending Hills? She finds the student body to be quite approachable and diverse. She initially expected it to take time to meet friends or make new connections: “I was going in blind.” However, she finds that FHHS is successful in engaging its community through movie nights and other interactive events. She is excited for the upcoming senior prom of 2024, the senior barbeque and graduation this June.
One piece of advice from the senior? “Don’t take everything too hard. Move on.” She also stated how as students, we may experience conflicts and problems with people and maybe even ourselves. She highlights the importance of not holding grudges, as they often prevent us from progressing.
As the school year progresses, these experiences shared amongst many will illuminate school spirit and remind students that each year will bring new challenges, opportunities, and moments of growth. Now entering the new year, how will we leave our final mark at FHHS, and what will make this school year different from any other?
