Life as an Eighth Grader

By Simone Schafer, Eighth Grade Student, Hampstead Hill Academy
Reprinted with permission from the December 2013 Hampstead Hill Academy Newsletter

Being in eighth grade means that you have many responsibilities, including time management, being the oldest in school, and high school choice.

Time management is very important in the eighth grade. You should not commit to anything that you won’t have enough time to do. You need to put school first, and everything else next. This is extremely important because if you commit to too many activities you will not have enough time to put your best effort into each commitment. Your grades may also suffer. You may find yourself having to choose between two sports because practice times conflict, or between other extra-curricular activities that you enjoy because they don’t fit your busy schedule.

As an eighth grader you are the oldest in the school. This means you have more responsibility and more independence. Younger students look up to you, so you must set a good example with behavior and leadership. To set a good example you should conduct yourself with integrity and be very respectful to everyone.

During the eighth grade, you are going to have to pick which high school you want to attend.  During the high school choice time, which is from October through December, everyone should go to a lot of open houses to see what the schools are like. Students should also attend preview days and they should shadow at many different schools to see what the school is like during the regular school day.

To get accepted to the school of your choice, you need to work hard in school now. Selective high schools look for students with excellent grades in Middle School. Many of the schools use composite test scores to determine whether or not a student gets in. Other schools have separate applications you must complete to attend. Overall it is a lot of work and can be stressful to eighth graders, especially when they want a particular school.

As you can see, time management, being the oldest, and high school choice are all very important things you face during the eighth grade year.