As someone who entered H-B in 6th grade from Glebe Elementary, I have experienced the difference between a very controlled and limited environment, such as it is in elementary school, and a place where you are given more responsibility than you can handle.
When I was in 5th grade, the teachers kept telling us that walking in straight lines and following dress codes would help prepare you for middle school, but none of what they told me has actually helped me here at H-B.
When I first entered H-B, I knew three other people: my twin sister, and two other guys from our elementary school. H-B gives you an opportunity to meet new people who you may never have met if you went to your home school, meaning you are introduced to different people, cultures, and ideas. In my Latin class, the group of people that I sit with come from all over Arlington, both South and North. Regardless of our different experiences, we still all work together.
At H-B, you will be given more responsibility than you can handle. With that responsibility comes choice. In 6th and 7th grade, you have limited off campus privileges. You can go to the CVS and the 7-Eleven next to the building, and can go elsewhere with a teacher. Starting in 8th grade, you can go anywhere off campus as long as you’re able to get back to class on time. The freedom given to you in our 40-minute lunch period seems like a lot, so you have to think in moderation. As I quickly learned, you don’t have to go off campus every day or even every week. Sometimes, it’s better to stay at school and run around with your friends. You will learn that just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.
Overall, the transition from elementary school to middle school is a major jump. It takes time to adjust and change, but it will happen. Though it may not always be a smooth transition, it will all work out in the end.
