Everyone knows that it’s tough to be a freshman in a new school. The challenges – having to find classes, making new friends, and even finding a place to eat – seem endless. But what do current North Point freshmen have to say on the matter?

Alexis Elder (’15) is finishing her first year here at NPHS. “It was alright, I suppose,” said Elder. “It was kind of stressful and the new classes were pretty fun… it was a lot of work, though.”  During her freshman year Elder played on the JV field hockey team and did taekwondo. So, she had a pretty busy first year. But what about friends? How does one, especially a freshman, make friends here at NPHS? “Once you get into classes and you find people who have a lot in common with you, you make friends easily,” said Elder. But are there cliques? “Definitely, there’s groups that stick together and ward off other people.” So, does that mean that freshman should get in quick with a clique so that way they can survive high school? “I think that you shouldn’t limit yourself to one group,” said Sarah Farrel (’12). “The group of friends that you start out with freshman year will not be the same group of friends that you take with you when you leave senior year. It’s not a good or a bad thing. People just change.”

So, in conclusion, is one’s freshman year hard? “It’s different,” said Elder. “You have some easy points, but you also have a lot of hard ones.” Freshman year is when students decide what clubs they want to get in to, whether or not doing homework is actually important, and what group of friends they want to hang out with. But, from one freshman to another, what is the most important thing to keep in mind? “Get your bearings fast and make sure to plan ahead and try not to procrastinate,” said Elder. “Also, some upperclassmen are intimidating, but once you get to know them, they’re not that bad.”