High school and middle school are very different in many ways. We were shocked that when starting high school, it was so different than what we expected. It’s not like how it’s portrayed in the movies. There’s no musical break-outs as in High School Musical or anybody calling each other a ‘Duff’. Its also not like middle school where your teachers are constantly treating you like babies. We feel like we have more respect here, and the teachers are a lot less strict. In the following we will go deeper into the SMS (Somerset Middle School) and BMS (Berkley Middle School) vs. SBRHS differences.

1. Rules:

The rules in high school compared to middle school are just a blessing. Coming from SMS, the 8th grade teachers made high school seem like it was going to be tremendously harder and more strict. At SMS, there are the most pointless rules. SMS didn’t even allow us to listen to music before school started when we were all in the auditorium! Also, they didn’t allow us to listen music in study, or even TOUCH our phones. Can you imagine being in study for so long without even touching your phone or listening to music?! It was awful. At the beginning of the year, I was shocked at how good going to high school really is. At SMS they made it seem like it was going to be purely awful. Now coming here it seems like the only purely awful thing is middle school.

2. Teachers:

The differences in teachers here at SBRHS is such a big difference too. Last year, in 8th grade, my teachers were so strict. If you even checked the time, they would take your phone away in a second. And the homework. They gave so much homework. Hours, and hours of homework I would do every night. The amount of work they would give us would even affect the amount of sleep I got a night, and it was almost impossible to do homework when you have practice everyday. Now in high school, I rarely end up bringing homework home, because I just do it all in study. Overall, the teachers here are so much more relaxed, while still teaching us very much.

3. Students:

The students here aren’t that different from the students at SMS, although there are a few differences. Here, at SBRHS, the students aren’t as separated into social groups as much. I think part of this is because of the merging with Berkley. Now, for example, at lunch everyone isn’t separated into their own groups, you just kind of sit with whoever now. I know in middle school I wouldn’t dare sit next to anyone other than who I normally sit with. It was just like that in middle school. I realized this year, I am making a lot of new different friends, even people I have already known, because the students aren’t separated into social groups as much.

4. Summary

Lastly, is the differences in the amount of freedom here. SMS was so strict compared to SBRHS. Earlier I mentioned the no phones rule and how big of a change that was. I know a lot of upperclassmen often complain about the food rule here, but coming from SMS it’s exactly the same. It’s not like we were able to eat in school other than lunch in SMS. That isn’t a big deal to me. It is not like I have lost that freedom coming from middle school. The only thing since coming from middle school that has changed was a good change freedom wise. Most of the teachers here are very relaxed (while still doing their job) and really let you be yourself here. In conclusion, the freedoms coming from middle school has definitely increased, and I really like coming to school now instead of dreading it.

1. Rules:

The rules here are just amazing. Yes, there are the rules that go along wherever you go, but we get more freedoms here! We’re talking about phones in school. Berkley would never allow that. Put it away when you get off the bus. You’d get it taken away if any teacher, the principal or the vice principal saw it. To be honest, I was scared of them. Any staff member in Berkley Middle School is so strict. No eating in classrooms, no talking during class time and some classes even cut down on bathroom time!

2. Teachers:

And the teachers. The teachers here are nice, respect you and actually treat you like you are your age. I didn’t like being treated like a child in middle school. Yes, there were those kids that disrespected everybody, including teachers. They would get in trouble and the teachers wouldn’t trust them anymore, but all of the teachers act like the students are the bad kids. The majority of us don’t even do anything wrong. And then there were those teachers that you still miss and love. I know I miss some. But, there are also the teachers that everyone hated. I know I’m happy that I don’t have to deal with them anymore. Nightmares. Complete nightmares in the flesh.

3. Students:

In Berkley, everyone knows that there are way less students there than at SBRHS. Berkley is a small town and doesn’t have much students, let alone people. And when I entered the doors of SBRHS, I almost gasped. So much more kids. It was nice to know this school wasn’t a ghost town but I did get pushed on the first day of school. It was a nightmare. But the change from Berkley and Somerset Berkley High School was drastic. Like I said, so much more people. In middle school, there were the social groups like in the movies. The popular girls and boys, the drama club, the gamers, the athletic people and so on. Now in high school, everyone goes with everyone. There aren’t those groups like the movies portrayed.

4. Summary:

And the most important thing ever is the freedom. Like I was saying in the first difference, we have so much freedom here than in middle school. I don’t feel like I’m in prison anymore! And we at least get to use our phones. In the middle school, we had to put it away or we would get it taken away. We get our music back, too. We all know that music is everybody’s favorite thing in the world. In the library, in study, in the student dining center, or hallways; our music, the thing we love the most. And everyone we are with, every freshmen I see in the halls and in my classes, I know those are the people I’ll mature with and grow up with. The students I don’t have classes with now, I could have classes with them in the future. Everytime I look over to one of my friends, I always wonder what we’ll be doing now in four years or even what they’ll look like. When these four years are over, I know I will cry. I’m just really glad I picked this high school to be in for my high school experience. To be honest, I love high school.