There are many expectations about the first few days of a new school year. Mainstream media paints a vivid picture of high school through popular music, movies, and TV shows. This often leads to students having an idealized perception of high school. This year, we decided to dive deep into the expectations versus the reality of Brandon High from students’ perspectives.
As students, we all know that the first day of a new year can be nerve-racking. Whether you’re a freshman beginning your high school experience or a transfer student entering a new school, it always brings a mixture of excitement and jitters. New students often anticipate getting lost in this unfamiliar environment. However, many found that getting around wasn’t as difficult as they originally thought. Freshman Ashtyn Errington gave a helpful piece of advice, “If you stay inside you will get to class faster. If you go outside [to try] to get to the other side of the school, you will probably be late to class just because many people do go outside so the doors get jammed with kids trying to get to class…” Although it might be great to get to class early, some seniors believe fresh air while walking to class through the courtyard is worth the longer walk. High school is all about finding out what suits you best.
Brandon High School is home to approximately 1800 students; with a population of this size, a large campus is a necessity. While it may seem stressful at first, students realize that getting to class on time becomes easier with practice and repetition. Emery Brady, a sophomore transfer student from East Rankin Academy, notes that “the campus is very large, but it’s also very nice.” Jacob Carter, a freshman, adds, “The layout is pretty simple and easy to find everything.”
Another common assumption about the first day was that upperclassmen and teachers would be mean! We are proud to report that this was proven false. Students noted that the older kids were kind and willing to help. Teachers were also found to be warm and welcoming. Many freshmen admitted they were nervous about having strict teachers, but they were glad to find that all faculty and staff were “patient” and “fun.” Overall, our teachers are great educators!
There are two stereotypical ideas of high school: it will be the best, most freeing four years, or it will be the most boring and stressful years of their lives. The truth is, however, highschool is all about what you make it to be. People are often scared that the dress code will restrict their freedom, but many students have reported that’s not the case. Payton Ray said, “My dress code experience was just fine. There are some teachers that have different dress code policies than the middle school has, but other than that, it’s pretty chill.” Ashtyn Errington stated, “I didn’t know there would be that much of a difference between the high school and middle school dress code, but you have a lot more freedom at the high school.”
Some common favorites of Brandon High are lunch and break. Students love being able to sit with their friends wherever they want in the cafeteria. Jayden Dent mentioned, “I love lunch even more than the middle school, because of the fact that they serve dessert EVERYDAY.” Even though the cafeteria may be crowded, it’s still a fun environment. Break is another favorite at the school because students can walk the courtyard during fourth block and purchase snacks from Bully’s Alley. Kennedy Fisher commented, “I expected break to be kind of like the Mean Girls scene where all of the people act like animals, but in reality, it was really calm and I could talk to my friends for a short time before heading back to class.” Clearly, our students love this freedom that’s given at Brandon High and are glad to call it their home.
So whether you are a freshman, a new student, or a returning Bulldog, Brandon High School is a place full of dedicated teachers and admin who want to make this the most enjoyable experience of your education career.
