The Expectations Come Crashing Down

When I entered high school, it was the first year after the pandemic and world-wide quarantine ended. Freshman year was my first time back on school grounds since February of 7th grade. For 8th grade, we decided I’d homeschool through an online charter school and avoid the risk of sporadic shutdowns and interruptions. While I knew homeschooling would mean more free-time and flexibility, I hadn’t realized how deprived I’d be of the social aspects of going to public school, or joining live Zoom classes even. So when public isolation policies gradually ended and I learned I could start high school in-person, I was thrilled. 

After a year and a half of isolation and disconnect from school friends, I couldn’t wait for high school life to begin. I must’ve built up so many high expectations about it, based on the books, tv shows and movies I’d finished during the pandemic. And I’d predetermined that high school was going to be the best time of my life. Everybody would know and befriend each other. All the dances and parties would be so much fun. All the stupid, immature pettiness of middle and elementary schoolers would be gone. 

It would be problem-free. Easy. Fun. Good times.

In reality, I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

I’m not saying high school is so horrible and torturous that I’m dying to get out, but…it definitely wasn’t what I’d expected. My idealistic romanticizing of high school life came crashing down after just a few days in. In my Honors classes, we immediately dove into the class material and my workload began piling up exponentially. Unlike elementary and middle school, there were no icebreakers, games or fun introductions. I already felt stressed out and we’d barely even begun! And, the people.  I thought high school meant everyone would be more mature. 

News flash: not so. There were still students who were blatantly disrespectful to teachers and thought it was entertaining or cool. There were kids who constantly created distractions while I was just trying to hear the teacher. And the juvenile drama of younger years that I thought could not persist, persisted. While my friend group steered relatively drama-free, every now and then, unnecessary problems would arise. Luckily, our issues weren’t as bad as other groups’. And another thing, word travels really fast in high school. And usually, it’s not anything good. And not something everyone should know about. 

To get to the point, I was wrong, very wrong, about high school. And I was disappointed. Looking back, I realize I was naive to have had such high expectations of high schoolers. After all, middle school ended only months prior. Kids don’t magically mature overnight. We’re just teenagers who want to have fun, who think we know ourselves but probably have a long ways to go to truly discover and develop ourselves, and who may occasionally mess up. 

I’m not saying high school is the worst. It’s not. But it’s not the best either. There’s gotta be more that’s coming later in life. 

High school isn’t everything I’d hoped for, but…it’s still fun, too. There are so many new experiences that come with it: the school dances, the sports games, some newfound freedoms, like driving and later curfews, and most notably, the new friends and communities you find along the way! I’ve become friends with people I never expected to. One of my best friends was a classmate since fourth grade that I’d never spoken with until freshman year. High school was, is, different from what I’d expected, but not all in negative aspects. 

I hope I didn’t just scare any incoming high schoolers. It’s perfectly ok, probably normal, to feel nervous about high school, because it’s a completely different experience. Two and a half years in, I’ve learned that high school is what you make of it. Go in with a positive attitude, but try to avoid unrealistic expectations (they won’t be met). Have fun, but stay focused. Enjoy it. Four years goes fast, so make the most of it.

We're in this together,

Lauren