Dictionary.com's "freshman"

In my most reliable, trustable, and accesible wordbook, found at Dictionary.com, the definition of freshman is the same as most people know it-"freshman...fresh·man...–noun...1.a student in the first year of the course at a university, college, or high school"("dictionary.com"...).

Many people-"who aren't freshmans"-feel that people who are freshman tend to think and behave completely differently. Freshman seem to stick out wherever they go. In the halls of William Fremd High School, this was, is, and will be the case. Picking out and observing the "freshman" during the short five minute passing periods was easy-as expected.

They have something about them, an aura, that allows other to discern them and label them as what they are-freshman. It is possible to label them correctly by watching their specific actions. Their actions of how they go about certain situations show it all.

When somebody falls, drops their books, or does anything else embarrassing most freshman don't know how to go about the situation. During the first minute, they first look around, not sure on whether to help or to walk away. Contemplating whether to face possible judgement or to defy their morals and what they believe is the "right" thing to do, they just stand there. Their eyes go blank for a few seconds, and they drift off while weighing the possibilities and consequences. Their body goes rigid while thoughts of pity and uncertainty swirl around in their heads. If they are the ones experiencing this embarrassing moment, even then, they pause-whether it's in disbelief, embarrassment, or horror. The color on their face changes from a normal peachy color to one abnormally red. They look around franticly to see if anyone has seen the accident, and as their eyes scan the area, they come across another pair of eyes. Their face turning even more red than one would think it could be, the freshman picks up his or her books in a not-so-organized fashion and leaves the area not daring to look around again.


This is how most people see "freshman." People's definition of a freshman is limited and goes only up to that of being someone who is in the lowest class of the school. However, the label of freshman is the label for everyone. Dictionary.com also states that "2. a novice; beginner"("dictionary.com"...). It never fails to be my favorite dictionary. A freshman is anyone who learns new things, tries new things, and does new things. Everyone learns a new lesson each day whether it is at school, at home, or anywhere else. So in that sense, every single person, in every single country, in every single age, in every single second are all freshman.