Welcome back to six periods a day, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., wobbly desks, and pen and paper. It’s been more than 500 days since West High School last convened in-person, and with a new year comes new freshmen (who are quite clueless about West High). Although freshmen attend Warrior Welcome, one long day of instruction, tours, and fun can’t cover all bases ― there are still some loose ends.  

   This year’s Warrior Welcome occurred on August 18. At Warrior Welcome, freshmen were introduced to a tour of the campus, registration, and a combination of mostly Jefferson and Bert Lynn students. Madison Mack (9) attended the event and remarked, “It was actually pretty fun, not as boring as I thought it would be.”

   School can be overwhelming and as a new student, preparation is key. Mack was “definitely unprepared for the first few days but then [she] got the hang of it.” Similarly, Kaylani Huante (9) expressed that she was underprepared with supplies and encountered scheduling issues with Cross Country. Still, she commented on how fun Cross Country is and how many people she’s met. Her “favorite teacher is probably Ms. Burt. She’s really funny.” Mack also spoke upon her activities as a new West High Drill Team member. When asked about her fellow teammates and being new to the team, she smiled and expressed, “They’re definitely very welcoming and they’re really kind; I really enjoy it.”

   To summarize the school year so far, Payton Salazar (9) pointed out that he “was able to get into the school pretty well and it’s pretty easy to find where everything is.” As a First Lutheran transfer, he mentioned that a few of his friends are also at West and recently he’s gotten the opportunity to “talk to a few new people.”

   So far, school for freshmen has been sailing smoothly. Classes, teachers, friends, and campus life seems to be going well for the new West High Warriors.

   If you’re a freshman and need help on campus, don’t be afraid to ask for help from a teacher or anyone else you’re familiar with at school. Make new friends, participate in school events and activities, and have fun!