At last! The first quarter of the 2022-2023 MLWGS school year is over. Between new classes, clubs, and people, the first nine weeks were a whirlwind of activity. For some, the first quarter was a relaxing transition back into routine, while, for others, it was an abrupt reintroduction to school life.

Entering a new school year means taking on new workloads and meeting new teachers. When asked about her impressions of Maggie Walker, freshman Rewa Totey said, “Coming from middle school, I didn’t have much experience with the workload at Maggie Walker.” She felt that while the electives she took were fun and relaxing, the core classes were “much more than [she] was used to.”

Another student who felt that the workload of the first quarter was a step up from last year was sophomore Peize Wang. Wang, remarking on the transition between grades, said, “There [was] a lot more work than freshman year and a lot more advanced courses to manage.” This is often to be expected, as each new school year brings new challenges and takes education to the next level. Surprisingly, however, some students disagreed. For example, junior Shorya Malani rather found that “the workload was much easier than last year.”

In addition to classwork, in true Maggie Walker fashion, students also had to dedicate their time and attention to new clubs and extracurricular activities. Malani said that he spent “three to four hours on clubs daily.” Juggling club commitments and classwork was surely difficult. Totey also said, “Clubs were more of a time commitment than an actual stressful thing.” As a member of Model UN, the Debate Team, and the Girls’ JV Volleyball Team, Totey said that her extracurriculars “took up a lot of time, but meeting new people and making new friends made it bearable.”

Of course, the first quarter was also jam-packed with exciting school events such as the Homecoming dance, pep rally, fall concerts, and Fall Festival. These events offered a welcome break from the monotony of classwork and pressure of club work. Sophomore Sonia Chornodolsky thought that Homecoming was one of highlights of the first quarter. “I loved Homecoming, all the pep rallies, and Field Day because you got to feel really close to your class,” she mentioned.

Despite the workload, it seems like students had a positive first quarter at Maggie Walker. The early start might have made adjusting to the school schedule a bit more difficult, but students adapted and managed to get through the first nine weeks. Let’s hope that the second quarter is even better!