The Manitou Springs High School class of 2025 has been adjusting to high school life after almost two years of online and hybrid courses as the pandemic starts to come to an end. Many students agree that anything is better than last year.

Freshman Olivia Lefforge-Vidal said, “It’s been better than last year; but I think a lot of the freshmen, including myself, forgot how to manage our schoolwork because of the way we had to do it at the end of 7th grade and all of 8th grade. At least for me it sort of messed up my perception of homework and my work ethic in general.”

While this quarter has been better for some, others find Advisory and Mustang Way an unpleasant change from last year.

“The quarter has been pretty average, but Advisory is making it hard to do work. So basically we have to go to Mustang Way every week, and it takes aways from our time doing work,”Cheyenne Espinoza (9) said. “There is so much stuff we have to get done: studying for tests, extracurricular, managing home life. Most students, quite frankly, just don’t have the time.”

Most of the 9th grade student body remains indifferent to the change in schools.

Henry Hickman (9) said, “I think all around it’s been a very average quarter for me. I’m doing well, but I’m not enjoying it. It just seems like work for the sake of work. Will it benefit me in the long run? Definitely. Am I having a good time? Not really. Basically it’s boring.”

Some freshmen have found high school more intellectually challenging than middle school.

Preston Rhodes (9) said, “I’ve found that I’m definitely a lot more interested and engaged here as opposed to middle school. The classes are so much more interesting and fun. I’ve definitely enjoyed the challenge of the sports a lot more as well.”

Overall most freshmen seem to think that this year is just getting better and better.

Miles Orr-Eurich (9) said, “It was hard adjusting to high school, but it’s been getting better. I think this school year is going to be a good one.”