Transitions.

Whether they happen at a young or old age, transitions make for a taxing emotional experience. Change is a natural course of life, yet the process is never truly integrated within us. That being said, endless adjustments are beneficial, for they provide an opportunity to learn how to handle the inevitable future transitions. Freshman Theresa Mathis already has experienced a major change in her life and is grateful for the opportunity to gain from it.

“I would’ve had to make this transition from middle to high school anyways in Florida, so at least I made it now,” Theresa said. “In life, there’s always going to be big transitions; at least I experienced it now so I know what to expect [in the future].”

Theresa moved to FHC from south Florida– two locations on two opposite ends of the country. This was prompted by a sudden job relocation, but Theresa is embracing the change thus far. Although entering an unfamiliar high school was quite daunting, she’s discovering that the initial task seemed scarier than it actually was.

“I toured the school about four times before I actually went in on the first day,” Theresa said. “I was so anxious that I wouldn’t be able to find something but everything was totally fine.”

Finding all her classes wasn’t Theresa’s only anxiety. Attempting to craft new friendships in a new environment is often nerve-wracking, but that also went swimmingly.

“People are nicer here,” Theresa said. “On the second day of school people were like, “Oh you can come sit with us!a�� Everyone’s just been nicer.”

The school and the people are not the only two differences between Michigan and South Florida. The most obvious difference, of course, can be chalked up to the weather. Just recently, Theresa witnessed her first snowfall, and she was astounded by the phenomenon. In her words, it was “awesome.”

Since she’s been here, Theresa has been getting involved in a few school activities. The most notable being the arts– specifically choir. She hopes to possibly work backstage during this year’s spring musical and is eager to learn and experience more of the theater department. However, she is currently enjoying the unanimity of her choir class.

“I met a really close friend of mine in choir, so it’s kind of brought me closer to people,” Theresa said. “We have common interests, so it’s good to be able to connect with people who have similar passions.”

Theresa is excited to explore the opportunities FHC will bring and has learned that while difficult, her transition was not as intimidating as it seemed.

“I’m excited to grow up with new people [and] just to see how everyone changes over time,” Theresa said. “A lot of things are unexpected, so I’m excited to see what’s going to happen.”