The start of a new school year can be stressful for everyone, especially if you’re a new student. Hannah Whittaker, a new student starting her junior year, shares her experience of moving to Rolla from Newburg and her first impressions of Rolla High School.

“Before school started, I had a tour, and I got shown all my classes. I felt pretty welcome and prepared to start school here,” Whittaker said.

Thanks to her getting a tour of the high school, Whittaker felt more comfortable and less stressed for her first day.

“When I got my tour I saw some other new students that were just as scared and stressed out as me, which made me feel like I wasn’t the only person who wasn’t terrified they weren’t going to find all their classes or fit it in here. It helped out a lot,” Whittaker said.

A lot of new students don’t know what to expect when moving schools, but Whittaker knew that moving to Rolla would be beneficial to her future.

“Mostly, I was expecting a lot of people, because I was used to Newburg where we didn’t have as many students as Rolla does. That definitely intimidated me and made me scared to move here. However, I knew Rolla had a lot more opportunities for me, my future, and the career I’d like to pursue. I do miss my old schools at times, but I don’t regret coming here,” Whittaker said.