Every new school year shakes up routines and gets students into a whole new rhythm different from the year before. Here’s an overview of HCP from the students’ perspective for the new school year.

“I just like the atmosphere” said Katie Maher, a returning sophomore. “I like the teachers. They’re really good teachers and they’re very funny. School is really boring and if you can make it funnier then it’s okay.”

“I’m surviving so far,” said junior Lydia Sharpe. “They say ‘here’s work’ and ‘here’s more work’ and ‘here’s some more.’”

“I’m happy to be back in English class though,” Sharpe added. “I’m excited to get more AP classes under my belt.”

“I just live through it you know? Get it done. Surprisingly, they say senior year is supposed to be easier, but not when you take the wrong classes,” said senior Connor Mulvaney.

Maher said she was surprised about how sophomore year started.

“You’re thrown in to sophomore year and it’s… all there. At the beginning it seems the same [as freshman year] and I hope it gets easier later in the year.”

After years of experience, Mulvaney had advice to give to the underclassmen.

“Do your work and don’t complain,” Mulvaney said, who has high hopes for his schooling after high school. “I’m hoping to go straight into college [and] work on an undergraduate degree that will get me into a good law school. And then, probably, go on and be a lawyer,” he added.

Junior Alex DeShazo expressed his view of Harding’s AP focused educational program:

“I think I’m most excited about the introduction of more AP classes, because more AP classes mean more [AP] tests and the more AP tests that you pass, the less college classes you have to take.”

However, his favorite thing about this new year goes beyond the classroom.

“My favorite thing so far is being able to communicate with my friends. At the start the workload is hard, but overall that’s my only complaint,” DeShazo said.

Freshman Kayleigh Armand was surprised by the open-mindedness of the student body.

“[I] was really worried it was going to be like my other schools where you get judged for not being like other people, but it doesn’t seem to be like that, “ she said. “My sister went here before, and she pretty much told me that there were a lot of different people and that there’s a lot of homework and there’s a lot of clubs,” Armand said.

As for the extracurricular activities, everyone said they were excited for what is to come with all of the various clubs.

Sharpe also said she is excited about “seeing more life” in the Sci-Fi Club, one of the largest clubs in the school. Others are going to participate in new clubs.

“The newly formed E-sports club…that excites me the most, seeing what that will turn into,” DeShazo said.

“Nearly everyone here is academics-focused or at least making decent grades, you know, focused on getting into a good college. Not necessarily excelling, but they’re all at least focused on getting ready for college,” DeShazo said.