Walking into school after a summer we thought could have been much longer, our school has officially started back up. Within the first few weeks, a lot of students saw the positive and already had something to say about their experiences. 

There are many people for whom this is their first year in high school, and despite all the fear of being in a new place with new people, they found positives in it.

“A positive experience I have about high school would be the freedom you’re given in high school because you’re allowed to do more things than middle school,” freshman Aiden Stout said.

Some people that are still early in their high school career agree things have gotten better.

“The hallways are a lot better than they were last year. Last year you could barely get to class in the first few months. Like, no one knew where to go. This year it’s a lot better,” sophomore  Jackson Ali said.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the seniors who have been here for the past four years shared great experiences they had as well.

“A positive part of my year so far is my team sports class. This class is positive because it lets me do something fun and have almost a break during the day,” senior Tyler Campbell said.

Because of the fact they are seniors, they have even more privileges and activities to do to reward them. 

“Getting to leave early. It’s more chill on my schedule because I get more time to play golf, and then also just seeing friends. The flexibility that Wake Forest gives is really good,” senior Alex Vasquez said.

Other students relayed positive experiences directly related to class and teachers where they have found joy in what’s going on in the classroom. 

“I would probably have to say when I was in this class, English 2 with Mr. Kitchen, and we were talking about playing a game and stuff and just having fun with the conversation,” sophomore Chase Simms-Lassiter said.

School can be so stressful, especially in the beginning before students get used to it. It can be made much easier and less stressful when genuine connections are made.

“Games mean a lot to me, and when I can connect with another teacher about something that I like, it hits for me, ” Simms-Lassiter said.

With school being a place where students spend most time during the day,  connections are always bound to happen.

“I met this kid in math class, a pretty fun kid, became friends with him outside of school, and he got me a job, which made me a lot of money and new friends,” sophomore Shane Alston said.

With the start of school, this also means the start of sporting events. Many students attend these games to see the athletes on a weekly basis, which makes for a fun after-school event.

 “Gamedays for football because everyone is excited about the game, and then at night it’s cool to see everybody there,” senior Brady Cole said.

From a fan perspective, attendance at games generates positive experiences for many students.

“Going to the football games and having fun with my friends. It stands out because we are all happy and it means a lot,” senior Kora Arigbe said.

Football games are not the only time you get to spend time with your friends outside of school.

“I have fun making new friends and meeting all of my teachers and being able to go off campus for lunch,” senior Noah Rippel said.

All in all, getting to see and spend time with people you are close to is such a great part of the school experience.

“Seeing all my friends in the senior parking lot and going to lunch with them. Seeing all my friends that I never saw in the summer,” senior Brady Schwier said.