The sun rose on Aug. 14 to 2,116 high school students, new and returning. After redistricting, Leander High School’s population has shifted and, still is, one week later. Thirty eight new faculty members similarly brave the new landscape.

Avery Pontious, junior : Everyone looked really tired and not having a lot of energy. The next pep rally people need to bring more energy. I feel like everyone’s tired because they aren’t getting a lot of sleep. I feel like if people bring more energy and enthusiasm to school, it will make school more fun. I feel that as part of the Blue Belles I try to bring energy to school everyday.

Lauren Harris, sophomore: “All of my teachers made me present and introduce myself, and I didn’t have to do that any other year. It made me uncomfortable to talk to other people.”

Hudson Ellis, junior “It’s a bit hectic, but it’s fun and exciting. It’s stressful, and it’s a lot of learning. [It’s hectic because] there’s just a lot of people, a lot of stress that kids are dealing with, things that people wouldn’t understand about how [students] feel.”

Kai Pete, junior “It’s nice getting back in and seeing new people and friends. The only problem is that they lock down the lunch room, and you’re not allowed to leave.”

Carlie Williams, junior: The construction is changing a lot of the school. “I’m glad that something’s changing.”

Mason Groban, freshman: “Teachers seem nice, classes seem fun. In my English class, the students are pretty rowdy, but I’ve known them for years so I’m pretty used to it by now.

Tom Robbins, assistant principal: “My first week of school was good. There were little issues with air conditioning, but for the most part we got those fixed. The kids were on their best behavior and we got them all to class. I think everybody had a good first week. [My highlight of] the first week was… seeing all the new teachers interact and the [former] teachers with the kids. They hadn’t seen them all summer and now they’re excited. Everyone is excited for their sports and band practice and all of the cool things going on campus in the fall. [I’m looking forward to] a good school year. I always love it when students who have struggled in the past really flip that switch and figure it out and everything starts to get better. I love to see that growth in students from year to year.”

Nataly Nguyen, sophomore: What stood out to me on the first week of school was that there was a giant pile of rubble and dirt where there used to be some street and some building. I heard that the school is getting remodeled.. I don’t really know why.”

Noah Hill, freshman: There’s no cell service. I can’t  open my GradeWay and stuff like that. It happens in the lunchroom and just like the further back you go into the school, the more service you lose. I don’t know [the reason] but maybe it’s because the school’s ancient

Nigel Cummings-Medina, freshman: “It was pretty lame and kinda slow. I got lost about five times, and I couldn’t find the bathroom like four separate times so I had to come all the way down [to the lunchroom]. It’s kinda weird having band instead of football but also still being on the football team. I’ve been missing out on all the defensive practice.”

Nayeli Medina, freshman: We have longer classes than we did in junior high. Most classes last an hour and 30 minutes and that’s something that’s different than what I experienced last year. I think its better for like, me being able to actually like, understand things because I feel like the teachers have more time to teach me stuff and I get like, a better time to like ask more questions and learn it at a slower but like, more like, nicer pace.

Tristan Adames, sophomore: “Making new friends. Last year I had a lot of friends in my classes and this year I kinda have to socialize more which is kinda a good thing for me. It kinda brings me up.”

Isis Gauthier, senior: “The hallways are very crowded this year. I feel like it’s always like that on the first day of school but especially this year maybe because the freshman class is so big. [When I was a freshman] I feel like it wasn’t that bad but I feel like it’s kinda bad every year because people are trying to find their classes.”

Olivia Scoglio, junior: There are a lot of people, and the construction. That’s really bad because it blocks off traffic. Or, blocks off roadways and causes traffic. [before that] there wasn’t as much.”

Parnitha Chigilisetty, freshman: “I mean, I honestly found that a lot of people like, just made some like, weird comments just throughout and it’s like, not everyone was the nicest. [People were] just being rude whenever you’re answering questions or you’re talking to somebody. [They were saying things] like ‘who asked?’ and like, well they did. You’re not the only person in this room. But honestly it felt like the teachers were really nice helping guide everyone and they were really lenient with the absences because I got lost way too many times haha. [I got lost because] this school is just like, so big and there’s so many turns, so many levels so it’s just like, memory stuff… I’ve only really seen freshmen in my classes. The seniors look really intimidating though. I’m scared to even look at them. I guess it’s just like their look. Like their glare you know? Like the resting mean face and just the fact that they’re older… Also the lunch lines are insane. They’re so long.”

Kalea Douglas, freshman: “It seems like a lot of the older kids seem to be getting their way around and pushing and shoving and like hallways are very cramped. So I will say getting place to place can really depend on which hallway you use. I think [the older kids] are just a bit pushy towards newer kids. I haven’t really had conversations with them yet.” (In reference to the main hallways being so cramped) “It’s like we’re in a can of sardines basically.”

Lanika Zaman, freshman: “What stood out is that it’s very different and I moved from a charter school and the traditions are different here. Finding the class was also pretty difficult because I didn’t know where some of my classes were. I enjoyed it for the most part…and for the fact that I didn’t  have many classes with people I know.”

Maddion Gonzales, senior: Everyone kind of sucks because people need to live in the moment more and stop being so engrossed on their phones. No one really pays attention in class which is rude to the teachers because it makes the teachers sad.