Being a high school freshman is difficult for a whole host of reasons (not just the constant bullying by seniors)! There is a lot to learn academically, socially, and personally. Note: you do not—and you will not—have to do it alone. As once-freshmen ourselves, here is a field guide of tips we wish we knew when we were just starting out on this crazy adventure.
SEATING (A)
If you haven’t heard it yet, now you know: the green couches are senior property. But where shall we turn to? The juniors and sophomores are adamant about their main hallway nook and blue couches. Which leaves the WRC couches, outside, and locker benches to the freshmen. It’s okay—one day we’ll all get a seat on the green couches.
DON’T SLEEP ON ROMOLO’S CANNOLI, KAIZEN, AND TJ’S (A+K)
Once you’ve explored Hillsdale Mall and the Whole Foods plaza, let our community veterans put you on to a few other options. US In-House Substitute Teacher Rusty Shabe and Administrative Assistant Jen Caputo recommend Kaizen & Coffee on El Camino Real for interesting Asian-inspired drinks and pastries. Terry Delaney ’25 recommends Romolo’s Cannoli for its Italian cream-filled pastries. “I was driving to school and there was a delivery car with an ad for it. Later that day, someone at Nueva had a box of cannoli from the same place,” Delaney said. “It was a sign, and I had to go and get it.”
QUIET SPACES ON CAMPUS (A+K)
When we’re tired of socializing or venturing to the mall, sometimes all we need is a quiet spot. If the WRC is full and busy with other students, try finding an open classroom. If you’re looking for a focused study spot, the third floor WRC nooks also provide a nice desk area. Finally, there’s sunny space in the Café, which also overlooks Bay Meadows park. So get to being productive!
GET IN THE HABIT OF SAYING “YES” (A)
The word “yes” can be so liberating and joyful. With the word “yes” comes opportunities: to join clubs, try new things, and meet new people. I urge you to try everything, have fun, and celebrate school spirit, because saying yes feels a lot better than saying no.
FIND YOUR UPPERCLASS-PEOPLE (K)
Like the older brothers and sisters I had always wanted and never had, the upperclassmen have guided me through high school with advice and shoulders to cry on. For my incoming freshies, know that the sophomores, juniors, and seniors want to help you out, because we were in your shoes just a year or two ago. Meet us in clubs. We have 107 clubs, and I will not believe you if you protest that nothing interests you. (Seriously, come find me for personalized recs.) Join DATAS in the morning, Cheese Club in the afternoon, or Debate on the weekends.
MAKE GRATITUDE YOUR BESTIE (K)
When I first started high school, I remember being amazed by the smallest things like having four types of bread next to the toaster, a professional media day at the start of athletic seasons, or even being able to use my laptop—no rules??—during lunch. Perhaps more importantly, though, I was surrounded by incredibly brilliant peers and teachers that college counselor Paul Gallagher frequently predicts are the “best you will probably ever have in your life.” It is easy to quickly adapt to these incredible opportunities and take them for granted. You cannot really have a meaningful experience at Nueva unless you recognize the privilege of being here; I hope that you take the time to remind yourself every so often.
THE BEST ROUTE FROM FLOOR 1 → 3 (A+K)
The clock is ticking until your next class… and there’s a traffic jam on the stairs?! Getting to class on time is important, and sometimes the most popular paths aren’t always the fastest. Us two faithful reporters rigorously tested three freshmen-frequented routes for you to optimize the journey across campus:
- 2nd floor WRC → 3rd floor WRC: at our pace, both the WRC staircase and the blue stairs were 1:08 minutes. Either one works, but we hypothesize that the blue stairs will be busier and more packed during rush hour.
- Chemistry labs → 2nd floor Rosenberg: by a couple of seconds, the main staircase was barely faster than the Rosenberg staircase outside. During rush hour, though, you might want to take the Rosenberg stairs…
- 28th street entry → WRC classrooms: going up past the gym and skywalk, rather than through the hallway and popular staircase, was the faster route by a five full seconds.
