By Varonika Ware
Staff Writer
@VaronikaW

Knowing too many people seems to be my main problem now that I’m at McNamara. In the beginning of my shadow day I was shy and didn’t think anyone would speak to me because many people called me “unapproachable” in the past. But at McNamara it just seemed different and I didn’t feel the need to be shy anymore. I found that I didn’t have to force myself into getting to know others because people genuinely wanted to know me.

To say that I didn’t already feel at home here would be a lie. It’s nice to be surrounded by people who treat me like family despite not being related by blood and I felt that connection during my shadow day as I watched how the students at McNamara interacted with one another. As a middle schooler at that time I didn’t understand how all these people could be so connected and now that I am a student at McNamara I finally understand.

I hadn’t met a lot of people in the summer during track practices while most of my friends from my old school who also attend McNamara had and I felt left out. Things turned around during freshmen week (freshman orientation, retreat and seminar). I had connected with people who were experiencing the same feelings as me coming into high school. I didn’t feel alone by feeling nervous or shy because so many other students felt the same way and it was easy to get to know my classmates. As soon as I got to school I was surprised that so many people welcomed me and remembered me from freshmen week. I had built a bond with more people than I thought I would and it excited me. I had no problem talking to new people (mostly freshmen) because I felt comfortable around my new family and it’s made me a more outgoing person.

For example, my new best friend, Drake and I had originally met in track. However, we weren’t close at the time until school had started. I asked for his name before giving my own. Our bond grows more and more every day mostly because we have classes together but also because we have common interests. Not long after I met him we became best friends. It wasn’t hard to talk to him and become closer because I knew he was family already.

Now I feel like I’ve been in school for months yet it’s only been a few weeks. It seems like I’ve been friends with some people for years when I’ve only known them for a short time. It’s been an amazing start to freshman year and it can only get better.