Now that the school year has started, there are new 6th graders who are entering their first year of middle school. Their homework load will increase, they will have to manage their lockers and switching classes while also trying to keep their P.O.P. cards clean. 6th grader, Connor, explains how the year has been for him so far while I think back to my first year of middle school.

Connor has only been a middle schooler for roughly a month and a half, but he still has a few things he has found to like and dislike about being a middle schooler. He likes that as a middle schooler he gets more freedom than he did in previous years as he can “do homework during recess which is a huge help when you have a lot of homework.” However, even though he can do homework during recess, he feels he wasn’t fully ready for the hassle of the workload. Another part of middle school he dislikes is the P.O.P. card system as he states, “[I]t feels [too] pushy. [I]f I talk a little, it’s a P.O.P. and it feels like a punishment [not a helping tool].” Also, he doesn’t especially like English because he doesn’t believe he is a great writer, and he gets most of his homework from that class. Although he dislikes these aspects, he loves math class because he is good at it and loves the class especially since one of his favorite teachers, Mr. Rohlinger, teaches it. He also is excited about middle school because it is way more engaging for him than elementary school, and he actually felt prepared going into middle school for the most part since other middle schoolers gave him tips about what to expect.

While Connor is experiencing 6th grade right now, I am looking back on my introductory year of middle school. Because I am part of the 2018-19 class, we were the first 6th grade class to have P.O.P. cards as they used to use punch cards. Personally, I believe the new system can be a great helping tool, only if it is used as a helping tool, not a punishment because when it is used as a punishment, people are more likely to protest against why they got a P.O.P. Next, during my first year I loved learning about space and the Earth in science, and I also loved social studies because I liked learning about the ancient world. On the flip side, I didn’t really like English because just as Connor said he wasn’t a great writer, I wasn’t either, but I developed my skills in that class and now edit the school paper – a lot can change! Additionally, I was very excited about getting a locker for the first time and switching classes, but I quickly learned that I had to keep my locker clean like a desk, and I had to make sure I got to class on time. However, I loved my 6th grade year as it was a year of firsts for me and many other students too.

All in all, 6th grade has been off to a good start for Connor, and I really enjoyed my first year of middle school when I compare it to my 7th grade and beginning of 8th grade years. Connor and the rest of the 6th grade has much to learn and will get more and more comfortable with middle school as the year progresses.