By Nathan Park

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As we settle into the new year it is important for us to remember to practice mutual respect and be accepting of all fellow students, regardless of their age. It is easy for upperclassmen to take advantage of their seniority and put freshmen down. However, that is an immature and corrupt use of power.

“The idea of one person being better than the other just because of their age, only four years apart, is ludicrous, it’s ridiculous,” stated ASMHS President Senior Evan Wilson.

In previous years, I have seen many seniors exclude freshmen from spending recess and lunch with them and would often hear upperclassmen talk about how annoying freshmen are. “They aren’t being picked on but possibly ignored, and that’s just as bad. They aren’t being recognized as fellow students,” explained Student Activities Coordinator Janet Ward-Riehle. “It’s just this stupid thing where it’s like, ‘I’m older so I’m better than you,’” added Freshman Victoria Kroll.

With such an unfriendly atmosphere, freshmen have a hard time finding their  place in school, especially those who couldn’t make many friends in middle school. “I know some people who don’t have any friends and it was because no one in their grade liked them and no one above them liked them, so try to give the younger people a chance,” said Kroll.

Some people feel it is the upperclassmen’s right to assert their dominance towards freshmen and put them in their place. “It’s kind of a natural superiority complex thing that seniors and maybe even juniors … have where they think, ‘Oh I’m a senior, I’m the top person on campus,’ and you have to exercise that authority in a sense. Well, some people feel that way,” explained Wilson. This attitude is prejudicial towards freshmen and violates their rights as students because it makes it seem that upperclassmen are better than freshmen when in reality, we are all equal.

As upperclassmen, rather than shunning freshmen, we should embrace them and take them under our wings. We can all remember how scary and confusing the first year of high school was, and should empathize with them. “(Upperclassmen) have forgotten what it’s like to be in ninth grade. There are a lot of unknowns and they know that so it’s like, why are you treating the freshmen like that?” explained Ward-Riehle.

It was hard to find our place and learn how high school students should act, but we eventually matured and adapted to the high school setting. It takes time for freshmen to grow but we can make the challenge easier by acting like older siblings to them and guiding them through their first year.

As the year begins let’s give each other a chance to show our better nature. If we open up to one another we will get along easier and maybe even make a few new friends this year.