Whether you are a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior, surely you can relate to the sentiment that high school is scary. That first day in the building surrounded by new faces, introduced to new expectations, and threatened by the maze of hallways, is terrifying. And sure, each day gets a little bit easier, but that is only because of habit, because our bodies must adapt to routines. At its core, high school is still scary, each and every day.

Perhaps if you went to a district middle school, you know the majority of your classmates, but when you were homeschooled or attended a private or magnet school, each class is a sea of new people. In theory you would get to know these people over the course of the year, but what about those people who sit several rows behind you or three columns over? How can we begin to make friends when we are faced with the daunting realization that we won’t know everyone, that where we sit that first day impacts the people we have the opportunity to befriend?

Social situations can be scary anywhere though, so it is more than that that makes school scary. Speaking in class can lead to anxiety about being wrong, interrupting another classmate, or having to watch everyone around you lose interest in what you’re saying. In a presentation, suddenly basic Spanish conjugation flees your brain, the plot of that book for English gets tangled up with the YA novel you’re reading, or you can’t remember your name for the life of you. That is pretty terrifying, even in the most supportive classrooms, discussing the most exciting subject. And what about the detailed questions high school teachers ask about the material that you are supposed to be studying on a nightly basis? The interrogations of angry instructors as they realize no one in the class remembers anything they just said? Or on the opposing end of the spectrum, when you answer too many questions in class, only to realize you’ve stepped on other people’s toes?

Middle school may be its own, unmatched level of awful, but high school is certainly its own, unmatched level of scary. Lets strive to acknowledge the universally scary aspects, and enjoy them anyway. To take a deep breath and confidently deliver the presentation we prepared, to go up to new people in the hallways and say hello, and to do everything that scares us, so that it might not be so scary tomorrow.