Students ranging from freshman to senior are feeling a large range of emotions as the second semester started on Jan. 25 and students received new classmates and teachers. 

Students may have excitement due to the fact that they have the opportunity to meet new people and work with new teachers. With this change, students are granted opportunities to further grow their knowledge and education. Students are also able to make new friends and bond with classmates they may have not met before the third quarter. Junior Parker Leibowitz said, “I am very excited for the coming semester as I am able to meet so many new classmates and teachers. I am most specifically looking forward to furthering my Spanish education with Señor Fetterman, while also making new friends with the people in my class. I have high hopes for the coming semester and am looking forward to starting my senior year after the summer.”

With a large number of students switching into new classes and getting new teachers, they can feel nervous. Meeting new people can be tough and sometimes it is difficult for students to create new friends and bonds with teachers. Students may feel nervous as they have little idea of what is going to happen in the coming weeks. Junior Jared Su said, “At the beginning of the semester I was very nervous in meeting new people and teachers. As we are entering our fourth week of the quarter I have been able to make new friends in my classes and truly enjoy all of my classes.”

Students may also be feeling overwhelmed as the adjustment to new classes can be difficult. With students coming out of the second quarter where grades in some classes may have not mattered as much due to the upward trending grading system, students may be feeling a little lost in their advanced classes. The pressure is on to receive good grades. Junior Max Mirsky said, “I feel that as the third quarter started, things picked up in speed and difficulty. With making an adjustment to my new teachers and high-level classes, the expectations are high. From this, I feel a little overwhelmed about starting my second semester of junior year as every grade counts.”

With the second semester starting up there is a large flow of emotions throughout the school for a majority of its students. Individuals may be feeling overwhelmed, excited, nervous and other ways about the third quarter so far. Students need to tend to these emotions as mental health is important and they must know that there are individuals such as counselors, teachers and even classmates who are here to help with any problem.