"3 Stages of High School, Grade 7- 9"

Considered as the happiest stage in life,

By men and women who had finished their race.

All lucky people had been in this phase,

Satisfied or not by their experiences;

They continue life with great memories

First, the 7^th grade,

Started as a flower bud that was still an outcast;

Observing others silently in a corner;

Sometimes approaching them once or twice;

But the feeling of being unwelcome is still present.

There are times when you feel nostalgic about the past;

Wishing to be an elementary student once again;

Remembering the happy days back then;

When you are with your friends and close teachers;

Enjoying and sharing moments.

Going to school during the earlier months is really lifeless.

Attending, listening to lessons and then going home;

That cycle seems to be endless.

Doing your daily activities just for compliance,

While the true purpose is being ignored.

Time passed by without noticing it,

And that flower bud blooms slowly part by part;

Improving physically, mentally and even socially

That having friends had been a thing to her;

And everything at first, seemed to be opposite.

The shy type flower bud bloomed completely.

She had been out of her small world.

Showing her true self without hesitance;

Learning to communicate with others;

And willingly adapting to the new environment.

Next is the 8^th grade,

Another journey had began;

New set of activities and responsibilities,

Time to reunite with friends;

And coping to a new environment again.

The usual first day,

Shy and silent at first,

Keenly observing classmates;

Communicating comfortably with friends;

And starting new friendship with others.

After the adaptation level,

Everybody acted normal;

No sign of awkwardness;

But only closeness.

This showed the great bond in each other.

In terms of school stuff,

The competition had been tight;

Not just academically but also in terms of extra-curricular.

Everybody showed interest on having triumph;

Working hard but remaining sport.

Even though there are competitions,

Friendship still dominated that idea;

During field trips and activities,

Unforgettable moments were captured;

And the genuine smile of each remained in their hearts.

The third one is the 9^th grade,

Second to the last step in Junior High School,

A hard stage for everyone,

Considered too as a preparation stage

Because of the responsibilities waiting in being a Senior.

For the first two weeks,

Many things had happened.

Almost everybody had adapted to the place,

Each are comfortable with each other;

And everyone enjoyed learning new facts and knowledge.

Looking forward to the next happenings;

That can bring thrill and spice in the stage of each;

Not minding the doubts in mind;

But being strong to face each challenge

And excited to experience something extraordinary.

“Adapting to a New Environment”

Staying in a place for a long period of time can leave you an attachment to the place and the people who were with you during that time. This place seemed to be your comfort zone since you had adapted to the environment but nothing is permanent in this world. We need to move forward and take our new path. We’ll meet different people, go to other places and do other unusual tasks but we need to be strong and optimistic so we can survive no matter what.

                This time, we are now on the 9^th grade, juniors. Another step was taken and we are now preparing for the new challenges to come. First week of school and everything seemed to be new. The room, teachers, schedule, some of the classmates and environment were different from the previous one but that didn't stop us to adapt. We are persistent to be comfortable to the new environment so we interacted to our friends and classmates even though we are not close to some of them. We laughed, shared jokes and narrated some stories so we can build a great bond with each other. There are times when we felt awkward but that awkwardness eventually losses when we started to talk. To create new friends, you need to do the first move. Even though they think you are an FC (feeling close), you should not be bothered since you really want to be friends of him or her.

                During the first day of classes, I can say I still have a vacation hangover that time. I still want to stay in our house and do different stuffs but at the same time I feel  excited for the new school year. I’ll blame the time for being fast and have reminiscence about the days I've wasted and after the drama; I’ll still go to school. Upon arriving, my former classmates greeted me and I can observe that they are all really happy. Having company with them is really nice that they can bring good vibes to you. No time is wasted when you are with them. Our section is considered as a jolly section that consists of students with different personalities but always unites for the sake of everyone. We joyfully welcomed our four new classmates and we don’t let them feel that they are not belonging to the class. As much as possible, we want them to be comfortable with us which I think is happening, to some of them.

                After that, we took diagnostic tests and other pre-assessment tests. Most of them are hard but still bearable. We also had the choosing of club and that made me happy so I can relax my mind from the stressful tests. I chose Science Club since I really liked this club since Grade 7. I was happy that I got a position and at the same time excited for the upcoming projects. Real classes started after this. We had activities, assignments, reports and other works but I was still glad that they aren't too many.

                Time flies really fast and a week had passed without us noticing. We survived a week with a smile. Finally, we had experienced the appetizer of being a junior and we are still looking forward to the side dish and of course, the main dish.