Huge Freshmen class of Wildcats welcomed

By Isess Kaleohano

Staff Writer & Editor

More than 300 freshmen students joined Konawaena this year, and it seemed everyone was either worried or glad to start high school. Some were afraid of the teachers, others were afraid of the upperclassmen, they said. There were also students who were happy to have more freedom and meet new friends. 

Being the newest and youngest on campus will always lead to struggles and fears. But 9th grader Kawai Binney said it’s getting easier as time goes on. “I’d say the most challenging part was meeting new people and the teachers,” he said.

Another freshman, Kalena Kaiwi-Machen, said: “It's been rough but I’ll figure it out. Meeting new people, meeting teachers, and just fitting in is what I'm worried about.” 

Students sometimes feel like they need to exceed more academically in high school: getting good grades is a top worry cited by freshmen.  To deal with that stress, 11th grader Torynn Omori recommends: “don't procrastinate because you don’t want to fall too behind in your work while still getting the work from before done. You’ll just end up pulling your grade down faster.” 

As the school year progresses, most students need to motivate themselves to keep pushing. Some additional words of wisdom from older Wildcats: Those hard days will come, but it is possible to get through it. Don’t give up. If you need help, go to your counselors, teachers, or classmates.

Keeping your grades up is amazing, but keep in mind the bigger picture, Omori and other upperclassmen said: have fun, make new friends, go to sporting events and dances, join clubs. Some students even get jobs or do volunteer work. There isn't much to really worry about in high school, just be yourself and keep thriving.