As I make my way through the halls of Niles West, and even when I get a little lost, I love looking around, maybe bumping into people (something I learned is unique only to freshmen and automatically gives you away) and staring at plaques, posters, signs and other things on the wall. Niles West is a unique place and has something to offer everyone. For example, there are more than 80 clubs at Niles West, and you can be sure to find two or three that are right for you.

As a freshman in high school, the first few days at school were a complete shock. I’m sure everyone at West has experienced that feeling coming in as a freshman, because high school is a lot different than middle school in many ways: being a part of a much bigger student body, being surrounded by people who are twice as tall as you, and being placed in a totally new building expected to know where everything is. Some freshmen may have a much bigger homework load than in middle school, and many teachers expect more from every student.

In some ways, the shock of going to Niles West for the first time was greatly exaggerated for me, because it was my first time going to a public school. For more than half of my life I attended a private school called Science and Arts Academy, where there were about 250 kids in total from kindergarten through eighth grade. In contrast, multiply that by two or three and you can approximate the number of kids at West that are just freshmen!

Getting used to Niles West took some time, but now I feel like I’m thoroughly a part of the diverse environment. My teachers are all great, most of the kids are nice, and most importantly, I’m noticing that my peers and I are disregarding middle school boundaries and everyone is meeting many new friends. It is great to see people from all walks of life — rich or poor, Jewish or Muslim, black or white — be able to not only talk with one another but create lasting friendships that last for years — into college and beyond.

Sure, freshmen are often made fun of because of their clumsiness and cluelessness, but it sure is great to be a freshman. Whatever we have achieved in middle school, even if we didn’t like our middle-school reputation, this is our one and only chance in life to start fresh looking into a future where the sky is the limit when it comes to the potentials for all of us.

We all have three and a half wonderful years ahead of us, and we all can make the most of it if we start working to achieve our life goals early by working hard. Now is the time to start dreaming big dreams when it comes to a brighter future for all of us. Now is the time to start dreaming big dreams when it comes to colleges. Now is the time to start dreaming big dreams when it comes to careers.

During this point of our lives, we are given a clean slate and a new beginning, and we mustn’t let this golden opportunity go to waste. We are fresh souls ready to build ourselves lives of fame and fortune. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Everything begins with freshman year.