So Far, So Junior Year

I transferred from Reedy to Lebanon Trail this year, and the first couple weeks were kind of chaotic on the scheduling side of things. I had classes on my schedule that I'd already taken, like AP Physics 1, so I spent a while going back and forth trying to get everything sorted out. Initially it was sort of frustrating, getting switched between classes over and over again, but it eventually got fixed.

When I put in my course requests for junior year, I'd chosen Academic Decathlon. The idea behind it is actually really nice, you learn about a bunch of different subjects at once, and you have to compete in them. I was only in it for about a week before I switched into ISM, and even in that short time I got a good look at how the class worked. You're reading something like 40 pages a day out of the guides, which actually does take a lot of time. However when ISM came up as an option, I realized it was the better fit for what I actually wanted to put my time into this year, since it let me focus on learning more about an actual industry instead of studying broadly across subjects.

Once I knew I was transferring to LT, I wasn't even sure ISM would still be an option for me. I reached out to Mrs. Russell anyway, since she teaches ISM at both LT and Reedy, and asked if there was any way to get into the program there. She told me she wanted to do an interview before making a decision. I remember being a little nervous going into it, mostly because I really wanted this to work out. I prepped as much as I could beforehand and just tried to talk about why ISM made sense for me. When she let me know afterward that I'd gotten in, I switched out of Academic Decathlon and into ISM.

Then, second or third class in, I realized I had to give a speech that same period, introducing myself and what industry I'm interested in. I didn't have much time to put something together before I had to present. It wasn't anywhere close to polished, but I got through it. Next time, I actually want to have something ready ahead of time instead of winging it, because being able to give a real speech is a skill I know I'll need again, and I'd rather not risk doing that again.

Outside of ISM, LT has honestly been a great change so far. It's a different environment than what I was used to, but everyone's been pretty welcoming, and I'm settling in faster than I expected. I'm excited to see what this year has in store, both with ISM and with LT overall.