The transition from middle school to high school isn’t always easy, but school being online this semester has added an extra layer of difficulty and frustration. And when Pioneer finally reopens, today’s freshmen will be the new kids all over again.

A quarter into the school year, freshmen normally would be mostly acclimated to high school–not only with the work and classes–but also with the physical layout of the building, where their lockers are, the best bathrooms to use, how to navigate the cafeteria at lunch, and where the buses drop off and pick up. They would know who their class principal for the next four years is, who the class secretary is, what their counselor looks like, where the nurse’s office is, how to get into the gym locker room. During a regular school year, Pioneer offers a freshman orientation where students are shown around the school, introduced to the staff they will interact with, and get the chance to meet new classmates. But none of that happened this year.

“None of us have had any tours of the school,” said Pioneer freshman Brynne Smith. “The biggest challenge for me will probably be trying to find my way around the school.”

For students whose first language is not English or who recently moved to the United States, online learning brings its own set of difficulties, but going to a physical building and really experiencing American high school was something they looked most forward to.

“I only stay until the end of the year,” said Pioneer freshman Kyuwon Kim. “It’s a shame I won’t be able to see all the school, because it sounds so cool.” 

Another important way to build community and meet new people is clubs, but the freshmen class this year has not been told how to sign up for clubs, or even about which clubs exist. There is no current comprehensive list of clubs at Pioneer, and all in-person meetings are suspended anyway.

“For me, I feel like I haven’t gotten any information about clubs or extracurriculars,” said Smith. “And I’m not even super sure who I should ask.”

The same is true with many extracurriculars, though most are not meeting in-person at the moment. “I don’t really know about what the clubs and extracurriculars are, and I haven’t gotten much information about them other than sports,” said Oeschger. 

Online school also creates a social barrier, but it is keenly felt by freshmen who have missed out on so many get-to-know-each-other events they would have attended in previous years, like Wagongate.

“I do feel like I am missing a part of the freshman experience and the activities,” said Oescheger. “With school being only online, it can really feel like you’re missing out on what previous freshmen got to experience.” 

Students look forward to their freshman year Homecoming, and maybe a football game or show put on by Pioneer Theater Guild. Not only are these activities fun, but they offer new students a chance to make friends, build a sense of community, and discover new interests.

“I heard that Pioneer had a really good orchestra program, and I really would like to have experienced it in person,” said Kim. 

There is also the more universal struggle of consistent focus.

“When you’re home, there are a lot more distractions like family members, pets, your phone,” said Pioneer freshman Jaylee Oeschger. “These things make it really tempting to get distracted.” Online school at Pioneer can last up to eight hours, depending on if a student takes six or seven classes. Staring at a screen for that long, virtually non-stop, can be exhausting and make anyone prone to becoming distracted. 

Both Oeschger and Smith say that they look forward to whenever schools go back to normal — even if it means being an awkward freshman asking for directions all over again.

“I’m hoping that we’ll get to start in-person at some point kind of soon,” said Smith. “And I think that when we do, I’ll just be excited and thankful to be back.”