Middle school can easily be described as a life-changing experience. Many students will say that this is the time in which they learn a lot of things that have shaped them as a person.  

Starting Middle School 

   The beginning of a new chapter in school is usually a very nerve-racking but exciting experience. Many kids when first starting middle school feel like it is a new way to make friends and gather new fun experiences that they had not had years prior. Sophomore Ronaldo Serrano, who attended Lincoln Marti, said, “It was a good time where I met good people and discovered new things about myself.” 

    Many would also categorize the beginning of middle school as a learning experience not only socially but academically. “Going into the 6th grade, from the beginning I knew that I had to be more responsible about my school life,” said sophomore Joshua Johnson, who attended Shenandoah Middle, “and right in the beginning I knew what I had to do to achieve that.”  

   Not only did students make changes for the positive but also the other way around. “Since elementary was a relatively easy time, I thought that middle would be the same,” said sophomore Kayla Morales who attended Citrus Grove. “Because of this I found myself falling off and not taking care of my grades as much.”  

Looking Forward to Middle School 

   For many, the idea of middle school can be very intimidating. This could be because of academic pressure or simply entering a new environment. Sophomore Mila Torrez, who attended Mater Academy, said, “I was not excited as a kid because of the new environment that I would have to go into. I felt like I was not going to be able to fit in because I was so used to how things were in elementary.”  

   On the other hand, Oscar Santos, Class of 25’ VP, said that he was excited for middle school because he thought it would be a fun time with the friends he had.  

Standout Moments 

    Many people can still remember specific moments that stand out during middle school. For sophomore Joshua Johnson, it was one time in his bus where everyone had gotten into a fight including himself. “It was like something came over all of us at that moment,” he said.  

   Kayla Morales said, “For me it was on field day where my class won the biggest prize after beating every other group that day.” She added, “Another moment was when I organized a fund-raiser for my culinary club in which me and my friends sold baked goods.”  

Lessons and Regrets 

     There are many lessons that can be learned from middle school. “I learned people skills,” said Joshua Johnson. Oscar Santos added, “I learned how to carefully choose the crowd of people I hang around with.”  

    Since middle school is full of learning experiences, leaving it could also make some people regret certain things and want to do differently if they had a chance to go back. Kayla Morales added, “I regret taking friendships for granted.”  

   10th grader Mario Bermudez, who attended Mater Academy, said, “I regret skipping school days because I’d miss class which would therefore affect my grades and education overall.”  

Overall Experience 

   Overall, most people will either like or dislike the broad experience that is middle school. Many will say that it was the worst time of their school experience while others may peak in middle school. “For me middle school was definitely hard, but I got through it and managed to make the best out of my experiences there,” said sophomore Junior Fernandez.  

    Sophomore Liana Bracero said, “Middle school for me was a rollercoaster with a lot of ups and downs, but it was in general pretty good since there I met some of my best friends and had unforgettable experiences.”  

“It is called middle school and it’s the most fiendish, torturous, and horrible place ever conceived in the darkest corner of man’s mind.”  

– from the book Popular Clone by M.E. Castle