Surviving my First day of High School

I took a deep breath and looked up at the large building that was looming over me. The way my stomach was twisting you would think I was going to prison instead of my first day at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.

I remember taking my first shaky steps into the building and all ready getting yelled at for coming in the wrong door. Everything was so foreign, I felt like I woke up and all my friends were kidnapped and I was trapped in this alternate dimension where I had to do algebra and learn about ancient Mesopotamia. The halls were so crowded, nothing like my small middle school. I got shoved and my ears hurt from all the squeals of people meeting their friends after a long summer. This made me feel even lonelier than before.

My schedule was held in my trembling hands as I trudged up the seemingly never ending flight of stairs. I was already out of breath and it was only the third floor! I kept thinking that every time someone laughed, they were laughing at me, the dumb freshmen that was lost. I felt anxiety bubble up in me when I couldn’t find my first period class. I finally decided to break down and ask an upperclassmen in school. I was genuinely surprised to realize how helpful and friendly they were. I kept going about my day with such trepidation I didn’t even realize that they were just people too, no reason to feel insecure or lonely.

With this knowledge I was able to make new friends and conquer my first day of high school and the many more to come.

by Emma McManus ’17

Illustration by Emily Artiles ’17