The first two months of high school have been exciting and very intriguing.  On the first day of high school I was very nervous and didn’t know what to expect.  I slept over at my friend Haley’s house the night before the first day, and we got ready the next morning together and walked to school.  When we got to school, we got separated into groups for tours.  We were upset that we got split up and were anxious that we didn’t have each other; but once I was off on the tour, I felt more content with my self even though I was still very nervous.  The first week and a half of school, I was still trying my best to find my way around the hallways and locate where the Tech Ed hallway was sense that is where my locker is.  After the first two weeks of being at Heritage Woods we were expected to know where our classes were, and the introductory was at its end; which meant academics got harder and projects began.  I have now found many groups of friends that I love being around and that I have fun with.  I feel comfortable in my school and I feel like I belong.

My advice for future Kodiaks comes with that expectations are higher but not extreme.  There is room for laughs and socializing but there is a time and place for it.  Horseplay is not usually accepted so I suggest that you don’t do it.  Another suggestion I have is to not worry about what other students think about you.  Heritage Woods is so big and there is such a big variety of personalities that I can guarantee you will find a group of friends that you will learn to adore and that will accept you for you.  Another piece of advice would be that you might think that grade 9 is a year that doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect your future and that may be true; but grade 9 is preparing you for grade 10, and I can assure you that grade 10 matters.  Try your hardest every single time, and if your hardest work gets you a C+ that’s okay.  Teachers are at school to support you and improve your skillsets, which includes bringing that C+ to a B and than that B to an A.  My last piece of advice is to join sports teams and clubs.  Getting involved in your interests lets you love school even more and you will meet so many great friends that have similar interest as you.

I am very appreciative of where I live and the education system, I get to be a part of.  Heritage Woods secondary school is a gorgeous building and to be honest I would not change it.  At times I wish that one of my teachers would make my questions feel more appreciated and worth her time.  I feel like if she disapproves of my question I fit under the category “stupid”, which should not be the case.  In my opinion, I shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions because I get up in the morning everyday so I can go to school to learn.  Furthermore, I have learned lots in her class, but it is definitely one of my harder courses.  I wish I could change some of the experiences I have watched other kids take part in, like drugs and vaping on school grounds.  I never really believed that teenagers actually did drugs until I saw it firsthand.

I have been passionate about law for the last year or so, I find law very intriguing and interesting.  The amount of school required before becoming a lawyer is intense.  You need at least 4 years at university and than an additional 8-12 years at law school before achieving the title of being a qualified lawyer.  If I was a lawyer, I would want to be a prosecutor.  I would want to investigate crime cases and find ways to make the witness guilty.  Even though I find this career extremely fascinating, I need to consider my values which includes that I am a very sensitive person.  I don’t know if I would be able to decompartmentalize and go home to my family after dealing with a heavy topic such as crime all day.