We think that we can agree that when it comes to bad decisions in school, you can always count on our freshmen. After all, it was our Freshmen at Lambert who were responsible for losing Lunch and Learn not once, but twice in a single school year.

With the school year ending soon, today’s freshmen will hopefully grow into more mature Sophomores. The times of not showering for days, contaminating the halls with the smell of armpit sweat and of course, absolutely destroying the school bathrooms – occasionally leaving with a stolen sink knob or soap dispenser – will hopefully be gone. 

When a student becomes a Sophomore, things are put into perspective for them; More work, studying, and responsibilities leave less room for fooling around. However, next school year will creep up with a new batch of students, and that means more Freshmen.

It’s nothing new to hear how much the Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors dislike Freshmen. During the recent pep rally, the whole gym was filled with the harmonious boos directed towards the freshmen.

When that new wave of freshmen comes in, they can expect the same treatment as a form of hazing.Influences from social media platforms (such as TikTok) can be seen as a large part of the blame. Social media has already caused this year’s freshmen to make stupid mistakes for 15 seconds of online attention. That desire for fame will just keep rising with the increase of popular social media platforms. Lambert High School freshman Samanyu Badam has the same opinion.

“It’s stupid,” Badam explained. “People are always seeking attention.”

Learning to be a small fish in a big pond is part of the learning process when it comes to moving up to high school. Seeking attention could be a sign of trying to fit in, but take it from our experience, it’s not recommended. Being yourself doesn’t mean you have to make poor decisions for fame. 

Some tips we have include staying focused on school instead of trying to seek attention from others. This isn’t middle school anymore. It’s also crucial to make good friends who have a good influence on you.

At the end of the day, the wait for next year’s Freshmen is not anticipated. But who knows? For all we know, the class of 2026 could certainly defy our expectations and show the school who they are.