There comes a time where the fun comes to an end. Where the late nights turn into early mornings. Something kids either love or hate, there isn’t much of an in between. Getting back in the routine of going to bed when the sun is up and getting up when the moon is still out can be rough. Kids come to the first day of school looking like zombies, not remembering the difference between left and right. Back to school is one wild rollercoaster ride for all of us, including the teachers, administration, and anyone else working in the school. Not only the people in the school have a routine they have to get back into, the parents play a big part in the routine for getting ready for school as well.  We tend to get lost in the summer fun and need some help finding our way back into the school drill.

We all remember that nerve racking first day of Freshman year. Freshman Hunter Preston said, “I was most nervous about the transition from a small school to a big school. I didn’t want to feel like an outsider.” One thing that Preston said that helped him get past that fear is knowing a few older kids that he could get to if he needed help with anything. Hunter went from getting up around 11 am everyday to 5:30. “By the end of the week, I’m drained,” Preston said. 

The thing that sucks more than getting up before the sun is being at the bottom of the totem pole. Sophomore Hailey Flamand said, “I’m looking forward to not getting looked at like I don’t know what I’m doing.” Flamand said that she is fearful for her friends she had going into the second year of her high school career. “Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and try new things because you need to know what they have to offer,” Flamand said. “When you get a chance to be crazy, make mistakes, but always show up to class,” Flamand said. 

“I’m looking forward to being outta here. All I have to do is make it through one more year,” junior Bowen Olson said. “You never know what school is going to throw at you, so you have to stay on top of your game at all times. Fake it till you make it.” 

After you go through all of the fight and pain climbing up the totem pole, you finally make it to the top. Senior year, where you have all the power in the school. You don’t have to worry about anyone telling you what to do in the halls, except for the teachers. By that time they don’t care what you do. “Showing up to your classes is one thing, but actually paying attention in them is another. Not a lot of people pay attention and it bites them in the butt later,” Michaela Ailport, a senior at Hellgate, said.  “Make sure to give yourself enough time to get your work done, not just done but done well.”

High school is a time to learn, make mistakes, learn from your mistakes, and of course, have fun. Once you find your people to do those things with you know you’re in it for good. High school is also the time to try new things and get involved in the things you like. Don’t let someone hold you back from what you want to do.  “High school can be hard, you have to fight through it, and look for the good,” Ailport said.