With the first month of school coming to an end, it’s time to check in and see how the students of Denmark high school are coping. After getting multiple people’s points of views, a common theme has emerged: the summer mindset. Going back to the structured environment of school can be challenging for many, especially after months of freedom and relaxation. According to sophomore Ashlyn Collar, the transition from summer to school has been hard because “my brain was still in summer mode”. This seems to be a present challenge for many returning students, with senior Liberty Johnson expressing that “the first week …just doesn’t feel real”.  Students are struggling to get back into a routine after summer vacation.

 Along with the struggle of coming back, scheduling has also been a significant issue. Many students have submitted requests to change classes, adding extra work to the counselors’ already abundant load. Denmark Assistant Principal Lindsay Needham expresses the overwhelming amount of “637 schedule requests submitted” by students between summer break and the couple days of school. Along with student initiated changes, counselors have to ensure classes have the correct numbers. Needham added that “The first week we are actively making schedule changes and balancing classes. The 2nd week, we are double checking prerequisite courses”.  This poses another challenge to students as their schedules aren’t final by the start of the school year due to the amount of class change requests submitted that the counselors have to work to resolve. This adds another layer of stress and delays the students from reintegration into the school environment because of the confusion and uncertainty of their classes. Collar was grateful that her “classes are good and the people in them are also good”. This was a major concern among students, because nobody wants to be alone in class. As a result, scheduling and classes are still in progress within this first week back.

“The first week …just doesn’t feel real”

Beginning this week, the counselors and administration have introduced a new solution to the confusing topic of dual enrollment. Denmark has about 400 students participating in the program this year. Dual enrollment has provided a hefty challenge to both students and the administration due to the fact they must follow both high school and college rules and regulations. Counselors have ”implemented a guardrail for dual enrollment” (Needham) that requires students to have their dual enrollment finalized by the first day of school. This cuts back on excess scheduling conflicts by ending the dual enrollment registrations earlier so they can focus on resolving in-school scheduling conflicts.

For example, the main obstacles facing our seniors have been college applications and credit checks. In order to graduate, students have a required amount of credits, which is the counselor’s job to manage. Johnson expressed her concerns which include, “writing my college essay and making my common app”. Many seniors feel pressured to apply to numerous colleges to increase their chances of acceptance. This is a bittersweet year for the class of 2024, Johnson recalls that “It’s exciting but also sad”. This first week of school elicited many different reactions from the students, ranging from excitement to the sad realization that summer break has ceased. 

When asked, students reported that “ It takes about a week or two to get into the regular routine”, Collar answered. Again, the theme of the “summer mindset” is seen across the school. It can be hard to adjust back into an educational environment while the memories of summer are still fresh on their minds. Getting into a routine can be a great way to organize and add structure daily to simplify the transition. It’s been expressed that seeing friends again is a huge motivational factor when coming back to school. Johnson explained that  “It was easy to go back because I wanted to see my friends”, noting that this made her first week much more enjoyable, despite the stresses of senior year. Students seemingly have smoothly transitioned back into the school year, with many looking forward to seeing their friends and teachers again. 

In conclusion, students have had to navigate through unpredictable situations along with the drag of leaving the freedom of summer behind. This first week has brought a lot of adjustment and change to both the student and administrative body. Despite this, the students are excited to begin a new year and be reunited with their fellow danes.