‘Freshwomen’ Take on St. Agnes Academy

Starting high school can be both thrilling and absolutely terrifying. While St. Agnes students and faculty do everything they can to make the freshman class feel welcome, nothing can completely cure the stomach full of butterflies that every “fish” feels on her first day at the Academy. So I sat down with an excited freshman, Ella Standige, and wise seniors, Rhianna Roth and Kylee Smith, to get the scoop on all things high school, from first-day jitters to survival tips for your first year of St. Agnes.

Anna: Ella, how were you feeling as you walked into St. Agnes on your first day of school this year?

Ella: I was feeling pretty nervous because I didn't know more than about three people, but I was also really excited to see them and to meet all of my classmates and teachers.

Anna: Seniors, do you remember how you felt on your first day?

Rhianna: I was so excited for the first day. I got lost so many times, but everyone was so helpful. After the first day I was confident that I was going to have a great year.

Anna: What are you most nervous about for this upcoming year, Ella?

Ella: I would say I’m the most nervous about maintaining my grades and participating in all the social St. Agnes events at the same time.

Anna: Any advice, seniors?

Kylee: Honestly, the ease of the work and classes is actually what I miss most about freshman year. Compared to the other three years here, freshman year had a ton less work and the classes were a lot easier. So appreciate this year, and don’t take it for granted!

Anna: If you could ask a senior any question or for any advice, what would it be?

Ella: I’d ask her what was the hardest class she had taken at St. Agnes and what made it so hard.

Anna: Okay seniors, tell her what you think.

Rhianna: I think we can agree that the hardest class so far has been Honors Algebra 2. It’s a completely different learning style than any of us have every experienced before and pretty difficult material, but everyone learns so much from it. Ms. Stasio is incredibly helpful, which made the class so much better.

Anna: Now that you’ve been at St. Agnes for three years, what do you wish you could tell your freshman self or any of the freshmen this year?

Rhianna: I would want to tell my freshman self to just relax and enjoy my time at St. Agnes. It’s easy to get stressed out about course work if you don’t take time to appreciate all of the other things SAA has to offer. I think finding the balance between work and play is key to a successful high school career.