Tag: middle school

The Transition from Middle to High School

Recently I wrote a short essay on how to ease into the transition of middle school to high school. I hope you enjoy!

The transition from middle to high school is tough. It can be intimidating to move to a bigger school and once again, be at the bottom of the school. As you move into 9th grade, it’s important to learn how to manage your time, how to make good friend choices, and how to still make time for what you enjoy.
Managing your time is important because with homework from multiple classes that is expected to be finished on time, you’ll need to make sure that you get through everything you need to do. A planner is helpful for managing homework, because, if you maintain it well, it’ll list out everything you need to do and when they’re due. Planners are also useful for big projects, because you can plan out your steps and what needs to be done in what order.
Classes will start to move faster! You’ll often need friends who you can rely on to help with homework and/or catch you up if you missed a class. Having friends you can rely on is incredibly useful, especially when studying for tests, as you can bounce information back and forth to review tough topics.
Lastly, make sure you still have fun! While there might be a lot of homework and it’ll take some time to settle down, you should make sure that you have time to do activities that let you relax. Having an activity separate from school that you enjoy will help make sure that you don’t get too overwhelmed or stressed by school. This can include a club/extracurricular offered by your school or something you choose to do in your free time.
Using all three of these strategies can help you adapt to a new school and a new style of work. While the transition from middle to high school can be rough, managing your time, having the right friends, and still having fun can make the transition easier and help you adjust.

What do you remember about your middle to high school transition? Was it easy or confusing?

Graduation!

Recently, on Wednesday, I finished up 8th grade, my last year of middle school. It was a momentous occasion and I was so happy to be part of it, though of course, it was also incredibly bittersweet.

I’ve enjoyed middle school a lot. It’s been filled with a lot of new things- new classes, new people, and new experiences. I’ve learned a lot and I’m so glad that I’ve been able to experience it all. Middle school has opened me up to new experiences, like theater, something that I’m incredibly passionate about today, which you might know if you’ve seen some of my previous blog posts.

Also, leadership! Leadership is a class I’d been hoping to get into ever since I first went on a tour and I was so happy to get the acceptance email. The classes, the teacher, and all the experiences have been one fun time and I’m so glad to have been part of it.

Lastly, I’ve made a lot of new friends, who I’ll miss so much in high school. They all mean a lot to me and while some of them are continuing on with me to the next year, I will unfortunately have to part ways with some people who mean a lot to me, though we have made promises to keep in touch.

On the other hand, I can’t wait to experience so much in high school! I’ve already gotten my classes for next school year, so I know what classes I’ll be taking. I’ll be continuing theater, which I’m super excited for! I’ll also be taking my first AP course- AP Human Geography. I know high school will be an extraordinary experience!

How were your school experiences?

Theater!

I really enjoy theater! It’s a relatively new interest, one that I got into in 6th grade. When I was making the course selections for my first year at middle school, I picked theater as it seemed interesting. Unfortunately, I was fully virtual that year, meaning I didn’t get the full experience of theater. Next year through, for 7th grade, I picked theater once more and was actually able to witness it in person. I really enjoyed that year and it made me really fall in love with theater. Some of my favorite experiences that year were learning about improv and writing our own play. In groups, we had to write our own 3 scene murder mystery. I worked with some of my closest friends to come up with our play and performing it was incredibly rewarding.
This year, 8th grade, I’m currently in UIL theater, where we have a competition coming up in November and a performance in the spring. I am currently working on both production and acting. In production, I am in the set and lighting crew, where we design all the sets and the lighting needed for them. I’m also part of the chorus of the play and play as a minor, but important character. I’m also taking a part of theater classes at a theater. These classes are also lead by a musical theater school. I hope to continue learning about theater and hopefully take it during high school!

I also got to see Hadestown recently! It was such an amazing experience, especially for someone like me who loves Greek Mythology.
The story of Hadestown is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, who were two lovers. When one day Eurydice died, Orpheus was overcome with grief and set out to the Underworld to find her and bring her back. There, he made a deal with Hades. He could walk out of the Underworld with Eurydice following him, but if he turned to look back for even a second, she would be gone. He couldn’t see or hear her, but he had to trust her, himself, and Hades. Orpheus made it out most of the way, but at the last second, right when daylight broke through the Underworld, he turned to look. And the last thing he saw was her slipping away.
This musical took that story and reimagined it in a brilliant and fun way. I loved the portrayal of the characters, especially Persephone, goddess of spring and the Underworld, and the Fates, three women who controlled your life. The costuming choices were brilliant, as were the lighting choices. The thing that dazzled me the most though, was the set. The set was intricately made, with two main levels, a spiraling staircase leading up to the top one. Some of the orchestra sat on the stage itself, giving it a very close and cozy feeling. The props used were magnificent and overall, it was a great show that I really enjoyed!

Have you seen any musicals or plays? What are some of your favorite?

Entering 8th Grade

This year, I’m going into 8th grade, the last year of middle school. I’m really excited for this year and the opportunities and activities it’ll bring.

First of all, I’m going to be a leader this year. Leaders help educate 6th and 7th graders about everyday lessons in the mornings and create a bright and positive attitude for the school. I’ve already been involved in some training for that over the summer and I’ve also been helping out around the school as everyone’s been starting to get ready for the next school year. I am really excited to take my role as a leader this year and do my part for the school.

Secondly, I am going to be in UIL theater this year! UIL stands for University Interscholastic League and it is overall a competitive field. There are many subjects that are UIL, for example UIL English or UIL Math. Out of these, my school offers UIL Theater as an option for 8th graders. I was accepted into UIL theater and therefore, will be able to compete this year. I’m super excited to see what my friends and I can come up with!

Along with UIL theater, I get to do theater classes next year! These classes are run by the Theater Under the Stars program (aka TUTS). This program regularly puts on amazing musicals and plays, so I know this camp will be really fun. In the camp, I’ll learn how to develop a character better, along with tips for improv (making up a skit on the spot) and cold reading (reading material that’s just been handed to you). I am really excited!

What are some things you’re excited for that are coming up soon?

First Week as a Seventh Grader

I just started school! This is my first week in person and I was so excited to meet everyone and see everything that I missed out in my virtual year. Here are some of the things that I experienced during my first week as a seventh grader.

  1. Passing Periods
    I have 5 classes each day, most of them being on the second floor (our school has 3 floors), though some are on other floors. We have 5 minutes to get to each class and after that you’re tardy. It can sometimes be a big race to get to your next class before the tardy bell rings, though I have been on time for everything so far.
  2. One Way Hallways/Stairs
    Because of COVID, our school has added one way hallways to the first and second floors. This can be a bit challenging, especially if your class is two doors down, but you have to walk all around the school in the crowd to get to it in only 5 minutes. Luckily, the crowd thins out as you walk around. We also have one way stairs, so you can only go up certain staircases and down certain staircases.
  3. Homework
    There’s a lot more homework than what I was expecting for the first week of school! A lot of it were only forms to sign, but I did have homework in my Science, English, and Social Studies class. Luckily, the homework is pretty easy, though it will most likely get harder as time passes.
  4. Computers
    We are given school computers to use for the tests and projects we do in certain classes. I got mine on Friday and have already used it in the second week quite a lot (for the beginning of year tests). It’s handy to have a second computer specifically for school work, where you can keep all of your assignments.
  5. My Favorite Classes
    My Favorite Classes so far are Theater and Science. I love theater because of all the fun activities we do and all the chances we get to learn what we like and how we do everything. Our teacher’s also very nice. I absolutely love our science teacher and the energy that she gives off. She makes learning much more fun and I’m really glad I’m in her class!

    What’s your favorite part of school?
    Also, due to school starting up, I will now only be publishing blogs on Wednesdays.

What I’m looking forward to in the 2021-2022 School Year

School is starting up soon! My middle school starts on the 23rd and I am very excited. I can’t wait to go in-person this year and experience 7th grade. There are many things that I’m looking forward to, so I thought that I’d share some with you.

  1. In-Person School
    Last year, I was virtual for all school year. For 7th grade, I get to go back in person (fingers crossed). I’m excited to see how middle school classes are in person. Meeting my friends is an added bonus!

  2. Student Council
    This year, I got into the Student Council or STUCO. I’m very excited for this opportunity and the ways that I can use it in my daily life. I can’t wait to meet others with this club!

  3. Meeting My Friends
    I’ve made some friends last year and while I have met them, I’ve only seen them about 3 or 4 times. I don’t have them in a lot of my classes, but I am glad that I will see them a few more times this year.

  4. Meeting my Teachers
    Last year, I rarely saw my teachers in-person. I am elated that this year, I’ll be able to talk to them face-to-face. This also helps with my learning, because I’ll be able to understand my lessons more.

What are (or were) your favorite parts of school?

My classes

I’ve seen different news channels reporting that many kids are failing this school year and that online classes are not effective. But, I have seen that my grades for virtual school have not dropped a lot. There was a slight decrease for the first 6 weeks, when I was trying to understand the way middle school operates. But I have been working hard and my grades are good. I wanted to share with you some ways my teachers have helped my with my classes and some tips for virtual schooling.

My school currently uses a hybrid model for school. About 50% of the students do virtual learning and the rest go in-person. The teacher has some kids in front of them and others behind a computer screen. I am doing virtual, but I am hoping that once I get COVID vaccination I can go to school safely. The in-person students also bring their computers with them to school, and they log on the call from there.

My school setup:

I have a laptop which is connected to an external monitor (I have found my dual monitor setup to be very helpful). I also have a stylus and a pencil stand nearby. Next to my desk are notebooks for (almost) every subject, a binder to store my project work, and a few mechanical pencils, pens, and highlighters.

In my computer, I use the Snip and Sketch tool frequently. I also like to use Google drive for my notes (this includes docs, slides, and sheets) and my teachers use Peardeck frequently. Another item is use is the Microsoft Whiteboard. These tools on my computer and at my side have helped me a lot when it comes to virtual learning.

My First Class : English

In my English class, we have just finished a unit on inferences. Since I go to an IB school, we ended the unit with a project! I made a small comic which we could draw 3 inferences from and shared it with the class. It was pretty fun and I enjoyed the making of it.
I don’t find the virtual or in-person classes to be very different. I would expect the same level of teaching that I get in a virtual setting if I were in an actual class. The only difference is instead of printed homeworks and sheets, I access them through an online portal and I type my answers on my computer.

Class 2: Theater

I am currently working on a sound project with my ensemble in theater! We are creating a play (only audio, no visuals) in our groups of about 4-5 people. Working together is a bit hard, as we’ve got people in-person and people who are virtual, but we’ve realized good ways to connect and talk easily, using different platforms like Zoom and Discord.
Our teacher has told us how different our units would be if we were back in campus safely and how we would work. I’ll admit, I wish I was back in-person, especially for this class, but I have learned different online tools to make my projects better.

My third class: Math

In my math class, we usually learn about our topic on hand using an online interactive slide called Peardeck. In this platform, we can type out our answers and draw on it, like Google Slides, the only difference being that the teacher has full controls and is able to share different responses. We also use Imagine Math a lot for our homework purposes where we can get practice with the topic we’re working on.
The best thing that has helped my through my math class is my dual monitors. It helps me so much when I can keep the meeting on my external monitor and my Peardeck on my computer screen (since it’s a touchscreen, it makes it easier to write on). I also like having a few scratch papers by my side to use for calculations, because in a virtual world, all the questions are on my computer screen.

My 4th class: Spanish

Spanish has been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. Our teacher is super nice and it’s one of my favorite classes. Another great thing about Spanish, is that every other Friday/Thursday (depending on our schedule), we have a “Game Day Thriday”. We normally play an online game called Gimkit, where we get to review our Spanish vocabulary while having a lot of fun (like competing who can take out who on the leaderboard). Gimkit also has different variations making our games so much fun
I really like having dual monitors for Spanish as well (especially game day Thridays).

Class 5: MUN (Model United Nations)

In this class, we make our own imaginary countries (ICs) and get a chance to develop them however we wish. Some of our countries rely on magic, while others use science for their daily needs. Some places are located next to a black hole, and some are lost in the deep depths of the oceans. We also learn other skills, like debating and MUN meetings.
Some fun things we do in MUN are IC game day Fridays. On every Friday we have class, we will all split up into 1 of 3 rooms. Our teacher will then come to each room and give us a problem or idea which we have to solve or develop. It gets super crazy sometimes, because of our different ideas, but it’s always fun. After our idea is created, we go back to the main meeting to share it. Another awesome thing is our “scavenger hunts”. There are 2 small stuffed animals hidden around the classroom. The inperson students will try to find a well hidden one, while the teacher gives the virtual students a clue on where to find the other one. One thing that I’m super excited for this year is the Imaginary Country festival. In this festival, we have a chance to show off our countries and our skills.

My 6th Class: World Cultures (or Social Studies)

In World Cultures, we get to learn about different parts of the world and how life goes on there. Using sources like videos and newspaper articles, we get to learn about many features of the places we’re studying. Right now, we have started learning about Sub-Saharan Africa, and we have recently finished the Middle East. It’s a great way to learn about the world, bit by bit. We also get projects based on the area we’re learning about like when I made the Dome of the Rock from objects around my house.
Our teacher uses Peardeck a lot more specifically the typing feature. It is an easy way to interact with the teacher while staying virtual. I have found having an external monitor for this is pretty useful. I’ve also used tools like Google Maps more for the purpose of studying the places.

Class 7: Drill Team

Drill Team is what I take for PE (physical education). It is a performance dance, where we learn new items for competitions. We have currently already learned 2 items and are learning a third. We start every day off with a “dynamic warmup” in which we move through a series of stretches that will keep our muscles moving. Each week, we learn a new technique (we’ve been working on some hip hop techniques for a while) and practice it in class. We also learn a new bit of choreography on the dance we’ve been working on. Every Thursday or Friday, we submit a video with the technique and choreography for that week.
If we happen to have drill team on a Friday, then we get to have a “Health and Fitness Friday” where we have a video to watch and follow along with (the video is usually another kind of dance or a workout), then we do an activity on health. We have been working on MD Anderson’s Aspire program for the past few weeks, and are starting something new soon.

Class 8: Science

We are currently learning about energy (thermal energy, to be specific) in my science class. My teacher selects certain videos from different sources for use to use and learn from. Using these videos we are able to extend on the topics we have talked about. Our teacher uses Peardeck frequently, so we can use interactive material to show our understanding of materials. We are also allowed to use a calculator for our calculations, sometimes making the process easier. The topics are explained in a way easy to understand, which is why I really enjoy this class.
I miss doing our experiments, but we do get to see some being done through videos.

I really wish that we could go back in-person without COVID. Our teachers have mentioned the fun activities we normally do, and I really wish we could do them. Luckily, everyone has adapted to the new hybrid model and are continuing to make learning fun. I’m a lot more connected and comfortable with technology now. I’ve learnt tips and tricks and my typing is faster.

5 Things I am Thankful For

2020 has been a strange year. There is the whole COVID-19 pandemic, and small other things that make this year feel like the worst. However, if you take a look at your day to day lives, you’ll see quite a few things which make you grateful for the life you’re living right now. Here are a few parts of my life I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving.

  1. Getting into the middle school I wanted- I was very, very nervous leading up to the middle school selection deadline. One day, my mom announced that I had gotten into the school which I had wanted, and all of my worries vanished. I’m currently attending that middle school and really happy there!
  2. My teachers- My teachers, old and new, were always kind and helpful to me. They have helped me through my struggles and always been there for me. They always incorporate a bit of fun into the learning for a great day.
  3. My friends- even though I can’t meet up with my friends, that doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with them through online chats and video calls. I love hanging out with them and they incorporate a lot of fun into my day!
  4. Books- books are always there for me. I love to pick up a random book and dive into its pages and stay immersed in the story until I have to leave. Books are another fantastical world for me and they are an amazing way to pass the time.
  5. Technology- if not for technology (meaning laptops, phones, computers etc.) then I would not be able to attend my classes, not be able to learn much, and not have a “school” to go to. Because of my laptop and other important devices around me, I can learn, talk to friends, and make new friends. Technology is awesome, just because of that.

Those were some things I am thankful for in this strange year of 2020. What about you? What are you thankful for?