By Sydney Hauser
Imagine walking into school on the first day and you have no idea where you are going and no one to help lead the way. On top of that, picture a rush of a thousand students scrambling to get to first period, not wanting to make a bad first impression with their teachers. This feeling isn’t familiar to those of us who have never been to a new school, but it gave junior Kyli Orr a whole new outlook on life.
Orr has been a student at Mount Vernon since she was a little girl, but that all changed when her sophomore year rolled around. She came to the conscious decision to attend Linn-Mar for the rest of her high school years.
“I was really scared and excited at the same time,” said Orr. “I knew I was going to miss my old friends at MV, but I was excited to meet new people and be in a new environment.”
While Orr only stayed at Linn-Mar for one semester, she moved back to Mount Vernon because she was more comfortable with the size. She didn’t return empty handed, but instead came back with a new perspective on life. She realized how hard it is to be put into a new place, and how important it is to be able to adapt to an unknown situation. “It’s important to keep your mind open, embrace change, and try and maintain a positive attitude in an unfavorable situation.”
Orr said that she definitely doesn’t regret her decision to go to Linn-Mar because she learned from it and it had a huge impact on her life in a positive way. She found that you never know what someone else is going through so you should always be kind, “A smile in the hallway or a ‘hey how are you doing?’ can go a long way,” said Orr. She knows what it’s like to go to a new school.
If you find yourself in a situation similar to Orr, she has some advice, “Keep a positive attitude, open mind, and never be afraid to ask questions.” Orr also stated, “Get involved. I was on the the basketball team at Linn-Mar and it was one of the best decisions I made. I met people that I shared similar interests with and I still keep in touch with some of those girls today.”
Being put into uncomfortable situations such as moving to a new school can be a scary thing, but you never know how much of a difference it can make. After all, Kyli Orr came away with experiences that will last her a lifetime.
