Freshmen often go into high school scared, expecting the worst. Freshman Cindy Nguyen was no different; however, after one year here her perspective has changed.

“[North] has more options than other [high schools],” Nguyen said. “We push our kids to a certain [place that] they can get to. And we have backup to help [the students] get through whatever [they] need to get through.”

Although she said her first year was not the “High School Musical” experience she expected, she points out the social gatherings at the school helped her avoid being ‘lame.’

“The pep rallies, the social events, Hoco,” Nguyen said. “It just got me pumped and really excited to be a Raider.”

Nguyen’s experience with the school’s social scene is much like what many expect their high school experience to be like all four years. However, she said school must always come first.

“[I learned] you have to focus on school,” Nguyen said. “School is your first priority because it’s better to finish your education rather than slacking off.”

Many fear that high school will be too big a change of pace and that they won’t be able to keep up. Nguyen however, believes it is all worth it.

“It was a lot more work than middle school, and the time was really different,” Nguyen said. “You have to spend most of your time on work rather than on nothing.”

Nguyen believes the teachers and academic rigor here are what make the school so great.

“Some teachers are really great; well, all teachers are really great, but some have different types of standards that you have to reach,” Nguyen said. “You have a lot of work, but it just causes us to become smarter. It’s just different from middle school, really.”