New student BBQ, ‘buddies’ assist adjustment

In their first few weeks of school, many incoming freshmen find themselves lost in a vast, foreign campus. With middle school acquaintances, however, they do not have to face high school alone.
Without the assurances of friendship and familiarity, students new to the district arguably have a tougher time adjusting to life at Saratoga High. To help welcome about 60 students, the new student commission held its annual “New Student Barbecue” on Aug. 19.

“It’s pretty much like Link’s [freshman orientation] except it’s more selective because it’s just the new students,” said senior Nicole Shadman, who co-heads the new student commission. “We have them play bonding games and meet the administrators. Then we take them on a tour of the school with their schedules.”

Shadman and co-head commissioner senior Ruchie Bhardwaj said the barbecue is a nice first step into Saratoga High.

“At the start, everyone was a bit nervous, but towards the end there was lots of conversation,” Bhardwaj said. “It was just nice to see all the new students we had and some of the old students we invited just meshing together, making each other feel welcome.”

This year, Shadman and Bhardwaj developed a “buddy system” to supplement the barbecue and help even more students feel welcome.
“Last year, I can say that I saw a couple of the new students who didn’t know each other before the barbecue hanging out throughout the year,” Shadman said. “This year, I wanted to increase that. I wanted to see them hanging out with more people versus just by themselves, walking through the halls, which I saw a lot last year.”

This system will match each student with a new student commissioner, a member of ASB or someone who was new to the district in previous years. This buddy will occasionally eat lunch with the student, check up on him or here and generally help him or her acclimate to the school.

“We’re thinking it could go the entire year, just have events for all the new students—even just like having lunch a couple of times throughout the year,” Bhardwaj said. “Just to make sure that their first year goes smoothly.”

Shadman encourages people to welcome their new peers as they adjust to high school life.
“If anybody wants to help or is interested in helping out the new student commission, then they should definitely contact us,” Shadman said. “[We’re] always looking to make everyone feel at home here.”

Assistant principal Karen Hyde, who works closely with the new student commission, recognizes the additional challenges new students face and hopes the buddy system will ease their transitions.
“I think one of the hardest things to do would be to come to a [new] school—leaving a community that you’re familiar with, friends that you had established and a home that you have known—and have to navigate that place on your own,” Hyde said. “This is a tough place to be, and this is just one way that we’re hoping we can make [the switch] a little softer.”