Freshmen Observations

Observing the freshmen for the past few days has been quite an amusing experience. They certainly lived up to their name -- fresh, impressionable, and full of anticipation. In stark contrast to the upperclassmen, who often possess an air of the jaded, suffocating in the haze of SAT prep and college applications, the freshmen seemed to bring a refreshing breeze to high school.

Now that they are surrounded by much more people than in their middle school years, the freshmen girls seem to spend a majority of their time trying to look "perfect." For them, perhaps, the image they portray in high school is one of their top priorities. Trendy clothes, the latest gadgets, you name it, they probably have it. Gossip spread like wildfire among them; even the most trivial things, like who is mean and who is funny, can become a source of intrigue for them. They roam around the cafeteria in packs and always sit together during lunch. When they leave the cafeteria, they leave together without fail, as if it were some kind of unwritten law. Bright-eyed, eager, in class they often participate more than the upperclassmen, their spirits still unbroken by all-nighters and lengthy reports. Some imitate upperclassmen's behavior as if they were role models. (Freshmen boys just blend with the rest of the high school population; it was hard to point out who were freshmen among the boys unless the boy looked really young.) From an upperclassmen's view, the freshmen girls' actions may seem a bit over the top; however, perhaps even cursory viewing of Gossip Girl will show that this is hardly the case.

These youths, so hopeful and full of excitement in their new environment, surely bring a unique, lively energy largely extinguished from the veterans of high school. I give them 4 months, max.