By: Hailey S.
The Student Speak section allows you to gain a sense of what your peers at Western Canada High School feel about particular issues or activities that interest them in our school or around the community. Particularly, this article explores how four students felt when transitioning from junior high to high school!Question:
Has it been easy this year to make new friends at Western? Have you kept up previous friendships from other schools? How have you been introduced to new people? In your opinion, has everything gone the way you thought it would?
Alison D.
Grade 10 Student – Yes, for me it’s been easy because I came from a junior high that a lot of people here didn’t come from, so pretty much all the friends I have at Western are new friends. And yes, as well because we share the same likes and dislikes. I’ve been introduced to them mostly through Band and IB classes. Pretty much; everything has gone the way I thought it would here.Matt A.
Grade 10 Student- Yeah, [it has been] pretty easy. Everybody here is more accepting then a lot of other places, so even if you come from a school where not a lot of kids came to Western, it would still stay pretty easy, especially if you get involved in many of the activities you can. That helps a lot. I’ve still maintained the old friendships I already had, because only two of the kids at my old school, not including myself, go here. The new friends I’ve made, I’ve met through sports and being introduced to other people from those new people. Everything has gone better then I thought it would, since high school hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be.Graham G.
Grade 10 Student– Definitively, it’s been easy! I think that because it’s such a big school, everyone can get to know each other better, enjoy new people and make new friends. It’s really cool; I’ve met some really neat new people through option classes, walking around school, through trips and just talking to everyone. It’s great to meet new people! So far it’s been better then I thought it would be! Better – because I came here as a “newbie” from a school with only five new junior high kids that came, so [the experience here] has been great!Danielle L.
Grade 11 Student- It’s been very easy for me to make new friends here. Everyone is so accepting and there are a lot of different groups so it’s easy to find new friends! I still have really strong friendships as well, from my other school, but I’ve met new friends mostly through other classes and through a lot of clubs throughout Western. There are a lot of clubs; it’s a great way of meeting people! I would say that so far, it has been a great experience for me at Western because everything has gone the way I thought it would!
From the voices of these four students, it seems that they all share the same positive attitude towards their experience at Western when it comes to forming new friendships so far. It definitely requires risk-taking skills to encounter new people; however, we all have the ability to break these barriers over which we evidently have in control. Once you venture out and take advantage of this new opportunity, it’s much easier than your mind may perceive. Make your Western Canada High School experience worth it, because seconds pass instantaneously and soon you’ll be graduating!
