As the school year approaches its end, seniors are beginning to make their transition to college, adjusting to a college campus. As they prepare to leave the main campus, freshmen at Seminole High School (SHS) are anticipating now entering the main campus.
The transition to high school is already a major life change for freshmen. Adjusting to higher academic expectations, new teachers, and new students can be challenging. Then, just when they finally get comfortable at the ninth-grade center, they have to make the transition to a main campus shared with upperclassmen and bigger expectations.
One of the most noticeable differences when coming to the main campus is the size of the campus. SHS’s Ninth Grade Center is designed to ease the transition to high school for freshmen, which is why it is around the size of a middle school. Main campus contains 5 main buildings, while the ninth grade center only has two. The major difference in size can be overwhelming for many and it can take a while to adjust.
Junior Prisni Nawala has some advice for incoming students to acclimate to the big size of the main campus: “Make sure you go to orientation the week before school starts to check out the campus. This way you can get a better idea of where your classes are and can practice getting to your classes. I had first seen the campus when I was a freshman because I was a part of some clubs but having classes here was a bit overwhelming just because the buildings were further away, but I got used to it by the second week.”
Another challenge many new students coming to the main campus face is an increase in rigor and quality when it comes to academics. Majority of the time, students will take more AP classes, begin their IB courses, or fully immerse themselves into health based classes. All these mean more time commitment and more effort needed to be put into their academics.
This transition can also be a rough one as it is a foreign experience to many freshmen. IB Senior Akshitha Pinnamaraju has some tips on how to adjust to your more demanding classes for the next school year: “My best advice would be to develop really good time management skills. Coming to the main campus is for sure going to introduce you to some tougher classes that you have never had to encounter. Developing skills that will help you become successful in these classes is crucial. Doing something as simple as building a schedule for yourself or tackling your work as soon as you get it assigned, instead of procrastinating, is key to not getting overwhelmed quickly.”
Something else that tends to consume students’ minds is their education after high school. Many times the moment a student enters high school, they focus on involving themselves in a plethora of extracurriculars to stack on their college applications. However, this can lead to burnout and poor performance in their already heavy load of classes. IB sophomore Arya Patel talked about how to avoid getting over involved, while also making meaningful contributions: “When it comes to joining clubs, I would recommend only joining clubs that will be meaningful to you in the future. For example, if you may want to pursue something in the stem field, join a club such as WomeninStem or SNHS. If you may want to do something in the medical field, join HOSA, and so on. This will end up being the most beneficial to you because you can get officer positions for these clubs and add that to your college applications. This can show that you are and have been dedicated to what you want to pursue.”
Moving to the main campus can feel like a big deal, but it’s also a chance to grow, meet new people, and experience exciting opportunities. While it might be scary at first, just remember that everyone is figuring it out too. Don’t be afraid to talk to teachers, counselors, or older students if you have questions. They have been in your shoes before and are here to help. Most importantly, give yourself time to adjust. It’s okay to make mistakes or feel overwhelmed sometimes. You’re learning how to navigate a new environment, and it will take time.
To all the incoming sophomores and any incoming students for the 2025-2026 school year, welcome to main campus! We hope you enjoy your time here and make the best memories. The best is yet to come! And farewell to all leaving, we at the SeminoleTimes wish you all the best in your future endeavors.