New Student Survival Guide – How can the school as a community help new students in school and how can they adapt to our environment?

By: S. Chuahy

Every year, the school enrolls new students to join the St. Paul’s community. They’re new to us, and we’re new to them. So, how can we help them feel welcome, and how can they adapt quickly? 

So, usually the first thing that comes to mind when a student first enters a new school is: “What is going on here?”. They wonder where their classes are, what the people will be like, what the campus looks like, and what the vibe/energy of the place is like. You might be thinking: “That must be so much to take in!”, but here is a plus side – you were new once!  

That’s right, whether it was in PP1, Prep 2 or Form 3, everyone was new to the school at some point. All you have to do is to dig up what it felt like to have that first day, week or month of school jitters and have some sympathy with your new classmate. Also, the student must be feeling lost and have no idea what their classes are or what their year group has been studying until they arrived there! So, your task is to make sure they know where their classes are, what they are going to be learning, and even you do not know these things yet – make sure you are learning together! 

But all these things are nothing if during breaks the new student is alone! Make sure they always have someone to sit with or invite them to sit with you. Share stories from past years at the school so they feel more at home, think of fun games to play so you get to know them a little better, and do everything you can so the “new kid” isn’t that ‘new’ to the school anymore! 
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So, next time you notice there is a new student joining your year group, don’t wait for someone else to befriend the new student, go there and befriend them yourself. You never know when one of your new best-friends might walk through the gate! ​