• The First Day of Second Semester

It was second semester and I was seeing familiar faces but didn’t know the people that well. I had come from IA4 to IA5. I knew three people in my new class and I still felt alone. When I saw a good friend of mine in the class we started talking but yet I still wanted to make new friends and I also wanted to be with the in-crowd but that wasn’t happening. I had been tired of meeting new people. I just wanted to stay with my old class and stick with them. I was so nervous.

Two days later and I had already found a new group to hang out with. We rode the train together and also went to each others’ houses. They became my friends for the rest of the school year. We had a few rough times but we got through it.

• English Essay by R.L.

It was the end of the third marking period period and I was looking at my grade. It was not pretty. I wasn’t happy with it, but I did deserve it. I didn’t focus and now I’m paying for it.

I took my freshman year as a joke but now I know what to do. I never took the advice that was given to me. I thought I could get everything easy, but I learned the hard way. It wasn’t good having the feeling I could have done better, but didn’t because I was too lazy to try.

I always did big projects the night before and came in with an incomplete or nothing. I didn’t realize it was all adding up to my downfall, but I got a second chance when I should have taken the first chance. You really don’t want to be in my position right now; it’s harder than just doing the right thing in the first place.

Life is comedy for those who think, and  tragedy for those who fee. I forgot who wrote it but it means, if you plan ahead life will be a lot easier than just doing things when you feel like it. You don’t need to be a genius, but show a little common sense in the classroom. I hope you take this to thought because it may come in handy.

• The Problems with Power

By M.R

Power is when you have full control of something or someone. Power is when you have control of someone; if you tell that person to do something you want them to do, then they do it. Sometimes power can mess up your relationship with your friends because now since you have power you’re going to want your friends to do things for you which they won’t they are going to not like you like they used to, they’re going to want to find a new best friend.

I remember when I tried to make my friends do everything for me. I had them under control. I kept making this one friend I had do things for me, and I got too used to it. I made him do a lot of things like I had him under control. He got mad at me and was screaming at me for that. Then he was like, “if this is why you want me to be your friend, then I don’t want to hang with you anymore.” Then out of nowhere I realized I could have done all those things myself instead of losing a good best friend who was willing to do those things for me I kept making him do it, so I told him, “sorry” and now we are friends again.

To me the best technique to avoid a power struggle is just to think of your friends and the things you like before you think of having power as better. Once you lose all that power, you’re going to lose all your friends because once you have all that power you’re going to think that you don’t need friends anymore. You have something better than friends, and it’s power.

This information is valuable to the incoming freshmen and can be useful to them. When you come to high school and become a freshman, you’re going to make new friends and some people in high school are grimes because they would seem like they are your friends. They’re probably using you for your money, making you do things for them, like fight their battles in a fight, and maybe more things. They might make you do thins for them and you might not want to do it but you will. They might say that since youdid that things for them maybe you can do a lot more things for them. That person might laugh behind your back and tell their friends you are their slave because you’re doing everything for them that they tell you to do.

• TIPS FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN
             
  Be prepared to work
  Nothing will come easy
  Don’t fool around or do something you’ll regret later
  Be mature – don’t get into fights over stupidness
  Don’t be scared to talk to people; stay calm – we won’t bite!
  Ask questions if you have any questions.
  Always give a firm handshake.

Reasons why
You are at a more advanced level and you have to apply yourself more
Everything you do you’ll have to earn it
It will affect your grade or your credits in the future
There are better things in life to fight for
You have to control your fears, not the other way around
Always good to have answers
People judge you by your handshake

ADVICE

• Advice from A.R

Try to pass all of your classes so you don’t have to go to Saturday school.
Pass your classes so you don’t have to go to summer school.
Don’t be nervous.
Do good in all classes so that you won’t have to go to night school later on in high school.

Don’t get on the dean’s bad side – you don’t want to get in trouble all the time.

• Freshman Advice

  If you join the play, expect to dedicate a lot of your time to it.
  If you date anybody in school, DRAMA will knock at your door.
  Be on your best behavior with teachers. They have the power to fail you.
  Try hard not to get into the he said – she said drama because everybody will get involved.
  Make yourself look the best in school meaning “DRESS TO IMPRESS” because lots of people think that they are better than you.
  Try hard not to lie to a teacher because they will find out.
  Do your very best not to get into a fight  - even though it can be tempting! (They will test u)
  Hope you have Ms. Kehoe, Mr. Msimanga, Mr. Maker and Mr. Kong because they are the best!
  Don’t look at people too hard cuz they will have a problem. Yes, cuz you’ll be in the Drama for the whole year.

  DO YOUR BEST TO PASS! Or else you will have every school there is – Saturday, Summer and holiday school!!!

   

• Advice from M.R.

Okay, my advice, for your freshmen
Dress to impress
Do your best
Do all your work
Choose your friends wisely
Don’t get into the Drama
Be yourself
Don’t listen to negative-thinking people
Think positively
Develop your own special style
Don’t try to act grown – “STAY IN YOUR PLACE”
Go at your limit
Enjoy your stay at Westinghouse

 

• GWHS
  Student Chat
  How to become the perfect student

   

  Advice Column

• Learn to ignore
• Tell a teacher
• Only defend yourself if you have been hit

If you want to be down you might as well stick with the friends you have now, because the people you think are cool will be the ones that fail their classes.

• Advice from Anonymous

You need the haters
You need to be the best
You have to be smart
Have good friends by your side
Trust me you don’t need it you should just live your life
Always you have to be yourself!

• Advice for incoming students

  Come in with a goal in mind
  Remain calm and collected
  Always excel in something productive
  Be productive
  Walk with an open mind
  Network (familiarize yourself with different groups of people and teachers)
  Do not feel discouraged about yourself for this is just another learning experience
  Stay focused
  Know yourself, meaning know your skills, abilities and capabilities
  Stop and think things through before reacting
  Making the school better begins with you, so don’t just sit and complain but get up and do something about it (Don’t just talk about it, be about it)
  Be different – don’t just follow the normal.

   

• Quotes

Come to math class early so that you can pass. If you don’t, you will fail.

• Outward Bound Quotes

Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. We are all learners, doers, teachers. ”
            - Richard Bach