Students: How do they feel about High School?

Jai Gadhamsetty and Aditya C.

June 12, 2025

Woodbridge high school (https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/facilities/facility/details/Woodbridge-High-School-80)

As the end of the year looms and summer approaches, students have mixed feelings about starting high school.

Many middle school students graduate and go to high school each year. They have many feelings, but what exactly are these feelings? And more importantly, what feeling seems to be the most common?

David Vizian, an 8th-grade

science teacher at IMS, shared his high school experience.

“I went to Saint Joseph’s High School,” he said. “I thought it was a good college prep school at the time.”

Students often mention feelings of apprehension, and the same is shown here.

“As students come in as sixth graders, they’re scared. They don’t know what to expect, and they start to grow up, and they start to get more mature. And then in seventh grade, a little more mature,” Vizian said. “And then in eighth grade, it seems to revert a little bit to the immaturity because I think you guys want to be young again.”

Vizian said, “Ninth graders are like sixth graders in this position; they don’t know what to expect from high school and are worried about how their lives will change.”

Although some students get the hang of high school faster than others, for some, adapting is challenging, and many students require support from parents and teachers.

8th grader Gursahib Singh explained his goals. “I just want to get good grades.”

Academics are the main focus of many students transitioning from middle to high school.

Singh, alongside striving for good grades in high school, mentioned how he is excited to meet new people.

“Even if I lose some old friends, I am enthusiastic about making new ones,” Singh stated.

An avid basketball player in middle school, Singh looks forward to new opportunities in high school.

“I look forward to participating in sports at JFK and trying out for the basketball team,” said Singh.

The age difference between students in high school is big, you can have fourteen and eighteen-year-olds in the same school. Bullying is prevalent with this age difference, whether it be verbal or physical.

As Vizian said, “Just be confident, be confident in what you do and who you are. Don’t be fake. Get your work done early, and don’t procrastinate at home.”

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About the Contributors

Jai Gadhamsetty, Reporter

Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big. Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big. Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.Jai Gadhamsetty is an average student who goes to IMS. He lives in a busy area with many stores and restaurants. His favorite things are playing video games and going outside. Gadhamsetty has gone to many places, from North America to Asia. Gadhamsetty has one brother who always makes him happy. Although Gadhamsetty spends a lot of time playing video games, he still loves to go outside and play with his brother and friends. Gadhamsetty likes pizza, he gets it himself sometimes when his parents are busy. Overall, Gadhamsetty is an average middle school Kid who dreams of going big.

Aditya C., Reporter

Aditya C. is an 8th grader at IMS. Aditya lives in a two-story house with his mother, father, and sister. He grew up in Woodbridge Township, where he lives, and visits the nearby park frequently, loving the outdoors. While he does like going outside, he is a sports fan too, supporting the San Fransico 49ers, PSG, and other teams. His hobbies include reading books, playing video games, and spending time with his family and friends. He also likes to participate in school clubs. Aditya also spends his summers volunteering, always knowing that he can help.