Almost a month into school, most of us have settled down. But for some, this month has stirred a whirlwind of emotions. Many returning Mustangs may have forgotten how it feels to be new and how difficult it is to adjust to a new environment. To further our understanding as to how being a new student feels, I took this opportunity to interview a few of the fresh faces.

Differences in schools abroad and ASIJ:

When asked the main difference between their old school and ASIJ, many new students replied “size,” “teaching style” and “social atmosphere.” According to many of the new students, in their old school there were more students per class, and teachers taught very differently due to the size difference. According to a new junior girl, back where she came from students simply got “worksheets and turned them in because there wasn’t really any time for teachers to talk to each student to see what they don’t understand.” She stated that in her classes at ASIJ “there’s only around 15 students kids max per class, so I feel like there’s more group work, and talking to the teachers.” Another new student agreed, saying that “ASIJ makes personal learning possible.” Another aspect of ASIJ that seems to be different from most schools is the social atmosphere. Many students expressed that in their old school there wasn’t much of a division as to which sex you were in a group with, or they wouldn’t have a specific clique they belonged to.

First day of school experience at ASIJ:

One big question that currently enrolled students may wonder about is how each new student’s first day of school experience was. When asked this question, one junior stated that her first day “wasn’t exactly amazing, but wasn’t hell either. People were nice and would talk to me and were always there to help me out.” In addition, she noted that “my first impression of ASIJ probably was, ‘Wow everyone gets along and is super close and tight-knit.’” When asked the same question, one new senior acknowledged it was a “struggle dealing with all of the unknown faces,” and felt “awkward” not knowing where to go during breaks. This seems to be a common theme across the interviews conducted on this topic. A junior boy agreed, saying “it was hard to know where to go and find a place I fit in.” To ensure new students have the best first day next year, let’s all make sure they have a place to go from day one!