A Freshman's Guide to Midwood
By ASHLEY YE
Beyond Midwood’s famous glass bridge that connects its two buildings, you’ll find many more layers once you start looking deeper. Freshman year can be intimidating as you try to maneuver your way through this new environment, but it is just the beginning. Take it from a senior: It gets easier!
Being in the building every single day, you’ll definitely pick up a few things.
“Each floor represents the first number of the classroom, like 304 is on the third floor, and any classes starting with A are in the Annex,” senior Elizabeth Bozo said.
The staircases are another way to figure out which classrooms you’re close to: Staircase A corresponds with the earlier numbers and staircase D corresponds with the higher numbers. The recognition of small details like this helps you navigate around the school, even when there are thousands of students flooding through. Before you know it, the map of Midwood will be enrooted in you.
Trying to remember which gym is which? Did you know that they’re named after the streets they’re next to? As junior Katherine Zhong explains, the C-Gym = Campus Road, and the G-Gym = Glenwood Road.
Midwood’s North Wing and South Wing, commonly known as “Siberia” due to how cold it can get in these areas in the winter, are located on the sides of the auditorium. They were built as temporary school expansions that seem to have become permanent. Many students have a hard time finding them. The “C” hallway doors lead down to the North Wing, and the “B” hallway doors lead down to the South Wing.
Academically, Midwood offers a lot of challenges. You are encouraged to take AP classes starting sophomore year, and I definitely believe everyone should take advantage of it. A good AP test score can get you college credit, but even if you don’t get college credit, it is an amazing opportunity to further your knowledge. I have taken four AP classes over the past three years, and while they consumed a lot of my free time, I don’t regret it and loved the extra push.
Filgey Borgard ‘21 said, “Take at least one AP class in Midwood.” She recommends AP Literature and AP Computer Science Principles.
Also: Don’t blow off freshman year. “Your freshman grades matter!” senior Kelly Luo said. “Don’t slack off just because ‘they don’t look at freshman year.’ Yes, colleges do, and it counts as 25% of your GPA.”
Freshman year “is a great time to start building your resume,” Zainab Ishfaq ’21 said.
Luo added, “Look for summer programs and internships now; it’s not too early, and most apps close in December.”
Don’t leave all this until senior year. It will stress you out! As teenagers, we often prioritize our social lives over school, but this can come back to bite you when you least expect it.
“Always delay gratification,” senior Angela Song said. “Try your earnest best to ignore temptation. Don’t procrastinate early on. It’ll become a habit, and habits are hard to quit.”
“Be proactive, anticipate deadlines, and get your homework done before you indulge in side hobbies,” she continued. “Prioritize school over work. In theory you can balance the two, but in practice it’s too big a workload.”
In the classroom, Ivy Tran ’21 recommends that you “bag those participation points. Don’t be shy in your classes because fear is temporary and regret is forever.”
Ishfaq added, “Make sure to get comfortable with your teachers and don’t ever be scared to ask them for help.”
The category of friends can be tricky. Friends really do come and go. We are programmed to try to stay in the loop of what’s going on, but in the end, it’s better to have three close friends than hundreds of acquaintances. Finding yourself but also finding the right people to take along is crucial in high school.
“Don’t be afraid to stand apart from the crowd,” senior Eray Ozcan said. “Oftentimes that’s what attracts people and makes them want to hang out with you.”
With Midwood’s endless amount of clubs and teams, students often join as many as they can.
Jenna Bolonik ’21 said, “High school is a good time to explore your interests, so try out all different things. There’s pretty much a club for everything, and if not, you can make it!”
Ms. Allen Marguerite, a guidance counselor, agreed. “Get involved in the school community,” she said, “whether that’s by joining a sports team, a club, SING!, or doing some form of school service. This will help develop a connection to the Midwood community and make friends with others who have similar interests. It’s important to be a part of something that gives you purpose and makes you feel good about yourself.”
The experience of surviving at Midwood is different for everyone. The outcome depends on your choices and your willingness to persevere.
“If you ever get stressed,” Ozcan said, “remember that you are 30 minutes away from the city. Go there with a friend and hang out after class.”
“Don’t take high school for granted,” Kelanie Barthly ’21 emphasized. “Take it seriously, as it is way different from middle school. But don’t stress so much about it, even if things don’t go your way. In the end, completing high school is a big accomplishment.”