A blessing in disguise

Allyson Phung, Editorial Board

Dear Class of 2025,

With this season of thanks coming up, I wanted to dedicate this letter to you: the freshman class. I understand that the hate you guys receive from upperclassmen is immense, and reasonably so, but now that I think about it, you guys are underrated (kinda). 

Every once in a while, I hear a group of freshmen complaining about their teacher—a teacher I previously had. It hits that they are talking about a freshman teacher. I’m a junior. This reality check shocks me, but it’s a welcome reminder that time is passing. 

Amidst the chaos of the school year, I often fail to recognize how fast everything is going, and I thank you guys for reminding me to enjoy the time I have left.

The next (and probably most annoying) thing I love about you guys is your inability to functionally walk down the hallway. I can’t count the number of times that I have been stuck behind a group of freshmen walking slowly down the hallway or simply standing in the middle of the hallway. I don’t mind this though. Sometimes I need a reminder to slow down, and the couple exhibiting excessive PDA gives me an excuse to take a small break and take a deep breath.  

I don’t blame you guys because the last time you were in a school was seventh grade. Plus, freshman me was guilty of this too. 

On the first day of school, I couldn’t find my class, so I stood to the side of the hallway to look at a sign hoping it would help. The sign was completely useless to me because I didn’t know any room numbers, so I stood there for a while. And I mean for a while.

Of course, I was blessed with the kind advice from an upperclassman who told me to get out of the way, and I walked away traumatized and lost. Although it was mortifying, I learned to never stop in the middle of the hallway *cough cough*, and that the knowledge upperclassmen have can protect you from further embarrassing yourself. 

Now that I am an upperclassman, and I am watching you guys learn your way around Liberty, I’m reminded that the four years I started with are passing faster than I ever realized. So although you guys might be annoying, thank you for reminding me to take a step back and appreciate the time I have left.