It’s day one on the Wheat Ridge High School Campus. Everything is new, big, and intimidating. Every hallway looks the same, you can’t find a bathroom even relatively close to you and once familiar faces fade into the crowd, leaving you alone and confused. Although you’ve been in highschool before, you feel like a scared and lost freshman.
Transferring schools can be one of the scariest yet most rewarding decisions you may ever make. But how can you push past this intimidation to allow yourself to bloom into comfort?
I’ve got you covered. As a new transfer junior to Wheat Ridge I have endured all of the loaded feelings that you might experience too. Four weeks ago, scared Ellie dropped her head low and shuffled through the hallway so lost and alone; now I have found myself in the middle of football games, making bonds with teachers, getting invited to lunch, and having people greet me in the hallway!
Even if you’re scared, I am proof that fear can turn into joy. And here’s how I did it.
Putting yourself out there
The MOST important thing. It may sound like a cliche, but it’s true. If you want anything out of this school year, you’ll have to put yourself out there. As a new kid, you’ll feel like a baby, slowly learning the ways of the new world and this new school. So heading immediately home after a school day of long classes and eating lunch alone in the library will not bring new and fun opportunities to you. You have to chase those opportunities, which is easier said than done. Here’s some ways you can do that.
Have courage and ask someone you got along with in history class to get lunch with you. Not only could you gain a new friend, you could meet more people by going out.
Drag yourself to sports games. Although this sounds unnecessarily scary, even if it has to do with school, hanging out with people outside of school has many benefits. Trust me, nothing brings people together more than hating on the opposing team–even if you’re losing.
Attend college nights, homecoming events and pep rallies. This way you are dropping into school spirit and allowing yourself to make new memories at events that are specifically for creating memories.Ignoring these events will make you feel even more alone at your new school. Don’t stand in your own way.
School Involvement
GET INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL! This is such an amazing tactic to not only make friends but to also learn more about the school and immerse yourself in school spirit. There is a very common saying, “out of sight out of mind,” and that may sound like what you want as a new student, to just hide away from everyone. But that’s not something you’ll want if you’re trying to make memories. By joining school groups and clubs you would be joining little communities, and if you join clubs based on your interests you’ll find people who feel the same way as you. Here are some ideas of groups to join that will help you learn and stay current with all the school scoops as well as meet people
Yearbook!
Major Pro: Gives you reason to attend school events to have to take pictures and interviews
Newspaper!
Major Pro: Meeting people through interviews
Broadcasting
Major Pro: Having all the ups on current school announcements
Adaptive PE mentoring
Major Pro: Getting yourself involved in more communities and meeting more people
Senate
Major Pro: Getting to run all school events like assemblies and pep rallies. Joining senate would take you from nobody knowing you to you representing all of these peoples voices
Teacher Assistant
Major Pro: Allows you to make bonds with teachers that will improve your highschool career.
Sports and Clubs
Involve yourself in groups that share your similar interests, I may have already said this, but it’s super important to find a common ground with people you may want to be friends with. Sports, clubs, you name it, if you care about it and the school offers it there is no harm in joining! Chances are that by joining a community of like minded people you will have a greater chance of finding genuine friends not only because of the amount of time you’ll spend together in sports or clubs but also because of what you have in common. Winter sports are still up to join as well as all clubs that have sponsors, and if you find a sponsor you can even start your own club. Visit the Wheat Ridge page and go under the bookmark, Athletics and Activities, to see what our school offers!
Link to Wheat Ridges currently offered clubs-
WRHS Actvities and Clubs
Link to Wheat Ridges currently offered sports- https://wheatridgehs.rschoolteams.com/page/2917/mn
The Importance of Guidance Counselors
It is literally in their name; guidence. With allies all around the school ready to guide you, finding help and settling in can be made much easier.
The first step here is to create a good relationship with your counselor! Counselors will help you find clubs, sports, the right classes as well as keep you in the loop about what to attend. They can be your fairy godmother and guide you through every important decision. To do this make sure that you remain genuine, respectful, show that you care about your future, and that you care about making these very short four years, some of the best of your life. Ask lots and lots of questions; not only will you be obtaining information but it also shows them that you trust their expert opinion.
Finally, it is incredibly important to check in with your guidance counselor often to keep your face around and memorable. With a good relationship you will always have somebody to go to when you get lost, when you are in trouble, when you need a class switch or even when you just need someone to talk to and vent to about the challenges of this transition.
Pro Tip: Your counselor will be writing you letters of recommendation for the future so having that personal relationship will make that process go a whole lot smoother!
Sometimes this transfer experience can feel lonely because it is such a big change that only you are enduring, but please be assured that you are not alone. There are so many students transferring schools for a variety of different reasons across the nation, but there is a reason why YOU are transforming and taking this big step.
Embrace it, and take a leap of faith. All the staff are here to help you if you need it, and students will, too, and I can go on and on about what you can do to make this transition easier but only you can make it easier. So with that, good luck and have an amazing new school year, my fellow transfer students!