Test of time: A CCHS freshman’s challenge of self-direction
In high school, there’s much more freedom. The catch is that you are expected to know how to use it.
One of the strangest parts of starting high school is realizing that nobody is going to tell you what to do every step of the way.
In middle school, there was usually someone reminding you about an assignment, telling you where to be, or making sure you knew what was coming next. At Acton-Carlisle High School, where I started several weeks ago, there’s much more freedom. The catch is that you are expected to know how to use it.
That expectation starts almost immediately. Even orientation, although it was not the most exciting introduction to high school, made one thing clear: CCHS operates differently from middle school.
We were given our computers, introduced to the building and systems we would be using, and then expected to start figuring things out. There’s an assumption that students will develop their own way of staying organized and managing everything that comes with high school.
Figuring out Flex Blocks
That independence can be good. As students, we have more freedom to use our time and make our own decisions. Being allowed to use our phones in the hallways or at lunch is a small example, but managing Flex Blocks is a bigger one.
During Flex Blocks, students can choose how to spend their time — to study, create art, or play board games with peers. If you need extra academic help, you can get it. If you have missing work, you can work on it. If you’re caught up, you have more flexibility.
That freedom works only when students actually have the time and resources to use it.
At the beginning of the year, it was easier to book Flex Blocks because there were fewer conflicts. We also had less homework early on, so that free time wasn’t as important.
As the weeks have rolled on, assemblies and other schedule changes have taken up some blocks. Classes have gotten busier, and students have more work to manage. The result is frustrating: Time becomes more valuable right when it becomes harder to access.
Managing your own schedule means learning to adapt when plans change.
The CCHS community makes that adjustment easier. The overall atmosphere is welcoming, and there are people who will help when you need them, but you can’t rely on one person to solve every problem for you. Teachers, friends, and adults can support you, but you have to learn how to ask for help, stay organized, and figure out what to do next.
That, to me, is the real difference between middle school and high school. It is not just taking on harder classes or navigating a bigger building. It’s being trusted with more freedom and learning how to handle it.
