2 months ago I, Jaelyn Garcia moved back to New York from being in Hershey, Pennsylvania for almost 2 years. Though I came back to the same school I went to before it was still very different.

In my old school, they were very strict and not as fun as BAL. I felt very pressured and stressed in my old school. I felt as though school was a prison and I couldn’t escape no matter how many breaks I got. I felt isolated and different from everybody else, though I made my fair share of friends I still felt incomplete, nothing was the same.

Fast forward to January of 2023 when I moved back, I attended the same school that I was in during middle school. Even though I was familiar with the school many things had changed, the school seemed more laid back and understanding about the pressure that is usually put on students. We also no longer have uniforms and get a lot of breaks including very fun trips which was a different experience than my old school.

Even though I was happy to finally be back in New York, coming back was still a bit awkward. I had to get used to a different routine and being away for so long kind of changed my bond with some people in the school, which didn’t bother me at all. The awkwardness was bearable and I adapted to my new routine rather quickly. Being a new student can be a bit nerve-racking because you are around new people, new routines, and a lot of change

During my time of being in BAL I am not the only new student during this school year. Another new student is Chrismelis, and I asked her a few questions about her experiences.

Q: How do you feel about being a new student?

A: A lot of emotions, nervous , anxious, afraid, new people/ coming from a different country.

Q: Do you still get nervous sometimes from being in a new environment, if yes or no what/ what doesn’t cause you to become so nervous?

A: Of course, mostly around a lot of people that I don’t know .

Q: Do you enjoy the new school you’re in? If yes or no, what/ what don’t you like about the school?

A: I do because its better than the school I went to before.

Q: Which environment do you like the most, the old or new one?

A: To be honest the old one, due to the happiness other people gave me there was better vibes in this one people seem exhausted and tired.

Q: What or who makes you feel comfortable in school?

A: The teachers are very nice and make the experience better.