It is now mid-September, and I, like most students in America, have been in school for almost a month. The past few weeks of ninth grade have seen many school activities, the development of new friendships, and pages upon pages of homework. Being a ninth-grade student in high school — also called a freshman — comes with many exciting experiences.

    Going to a new school is always somewhat daunting, but thrilling as well; new teachers, new campus, new classes, and most importantly, new classmates. My school, the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, is a private, Catholic all-girls school. My teachers are interesting and experienced in their field; we learn at a very fast pace and homework is assigned every night — much more than in middle school. On the very first night of school, I stayed up until past 1 a.m. just to finish my homework. Though we have to work hard, the result pays off in good grades, just like in China.

    Because the school is Catholic, we pray at the beginning of every day and before each class. We are also required to attend theology (religion) class every day. The buildings are spacious and architecturally beautiful, and the campus has wide green lawns, vast athletic fields and a swimming pool.

    There are about 90 students in every grade, diverse in culture, ethnicity, interests, and age. Of the 94 girls in my grade, two stand out culturally in particular. They moved from Beijing to Pennsylvania, the United States. A mere two weeks before school started, the two girls moved in with one of the girls’ mothers in order to attend the Academy of Notre Dame. These two girls are of the same age as I am. I, being a bilingual Chinese-American, was asked to help them mingle into their new environment, as well as translate for them when they did not understand English directions or American manners. I showed them around the school, making sure they knew which classrooms to go to; I helped them turn in their meal checks and order their school lunches in an American cafeteria for the first time; I translated for them when the teachers asked challenging questions, especially during religion class. Despite the language barrier standing between them and the rest of their classmates, the girls were very welcome at the school, and consequently, they enjoy it a lot. They helped me improve my Mandarin while I helped them improve their English — it was a mutually beneficial friendship — and they are sweet and funny. Being with them has taught me to appreciate my culture as well as be open to new concepts. And the two girls agree — there is not much to be afraid about going to a new school in America.

    For me, school has gotten off to a great start. There are so many clubs that I want to join, such as student council and art club. I am a part of the school dance company, and we will travel to Miami, Florida, this year. My classes, though challenging, are interesting and filled with creative projects and fresh learning experiences. Helping the two girls adjust to their new school is inspiring and entertaining, and I’m very much looking forward to the rest of the year.

Merry Gu (辜子蕊) is a Grade 9 student at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, Pennsylvania. She lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Philadelphia in the United States.