Episode 587: Starting High School Through My Daughter’s Eyes

The Whinypaluza Podcast

Host Rebecca Greene interviews her daughter, Lillie, about the transition from middle school to high school as Lillie turns 14. They explore

Key takeaways

• Lillie observes that high school teachers are generally more 'chill' and less micro-managing than middle school teachers.
• The social structure of high school allows for much more interaction across different grade levels compared to the segregated wings of middle school.

Main topics

• High school transition
• Teenage communication with parents

Notable quotes

The way we communicate isn't put towards you, but it's more put towards ourselves.

Conclusion

The episode provides a touching perspective on the adolescent transiti

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:00) Hello everyone, this is Rebecca Green for the Whining Palooza podcast and I am super excited today because I get to interview my gorgeous, wonderful daughter, Lily Green. Lily, thank you for doing this with me today. You're welcome. So we are talking to Lily today for two reasons. Reason number one is she is about to turn 14. I don't know how that happened. Reason number two is she started high school. So we're going to talk about all of that. And I am excited. I have so many questions. So if Lily does not like my question or doesn't... want to answer it or doesn't know how to answer it. All she has to do is say, come back to it or pass. Okay. Okay. So you are about to turn 14. Does it feel different from 13? Or do you feel the same? I would say Speaker 4 (1:02) it feels different. Speaker 3 (1:03) I Speaker 4 (1:04) feel like Drifting into high school and like getting closer with like older friends is definitely like maturing me in a way. And I feel like that'll like go throughout all my four years. Speaker 3 (1:15) Awesome. That's an awesome answer. So the answer is yes, she feels different. What was going through your mind the first morning of high school? Speaker 4 (1:29) I was just, I feel like it was like nervous-sided. Like I wasn't too scared, but like seeing like going into like the hallways and like figuring out classes, I was super nervous about that. And like... It's just like I've heard so many different stories about freshman year. It was just like I was trying to process it. And like going from being like an eighth grader to like starting up like brand new, it's just like kind of a little bit of a jump. Speaker 3 (1:58) It's really hard because in eighth grade, you are the oldest in the school and then you jump to being the youngest again. Speaker 4 (2:05) Yeah. So does that suck? It doesn't suck, but everyone flames you for being a freshman. And it's just like, it's annoying. Like, can I just be a sophomore? Speaker 4 (2:17) What do they say about you being a freshman? It's just like, go home, freshman. Like, you guys are so young. And like, when we went to Wegmans and we were talking to the sophomore, I didn't feel like I was, like I felt way too young next to her. Speaker 3 (2:32) Yeah. Speaker 4 (2:33) Yeah. I don't know. It felt weird. Like, I can't believe she's only a year older than me. It'll be amazing to talk to you in a Speaker 3 (2:39) year and see what you have to say. What has surprised you the most about high school? Speaker 4 (2:46) I'm going to have to say how much more teachers don't care and like how like all of like the whole boy group, like they're so much more mature now and they don't like act out. And like teachers, they're usually like always on top of you for certain things. And I feel it's way, they're way more chill. There's more freedom. And like. Speaker 4 (3:13) Everyone's way more relaxed. Again, middle school, like, you've got to go. Everyone's in, like, fight or flight mode. Now it's, like, everyone's chilled out. Speaker 3 (3:22) Max and Ella both told me that. Speaker 4 (3:24) Yeah. Speaker 3 (3:24) They said the exact same thing. So you kind of answered this. What has been better about high school than Speaker 4 (3:33) you expected? Definitely that people are more relaxed. And I didn't expect it to be. Speaker 4 (3:40) So much of like a, like you can talk to anyone, like it doesn't matter what grade. Like in middle school, it's like you talk to people in your grade. In high school, talk to whoever you are. No one really cares. Speaker 3 (3:52) Well, and part of the difference with that, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but in middle school, each grade has a wing. That is true. Right? And in high school, you're just all walking around. Speaker 4 (4:03) Yeah, 100%. Yeah. Speaker 3 (4:06) So is there anything about high school that's been harder or more stressful than you thought it would be? Speaker 4 (4:18) I'm just like seeing all the LL and Macs do, like coming to like exams. I'm just like, it's a lot of pressure going into that. Like in June, I'm definitely going to feel it. But there's not too much. Oh, knowing like these grades count and like I have to like actually be on my A game. Like I've never not, but you know what I mean? Speaker 4 (4:43) It's so funny Speaker 3 (4:44) because for so many years I said to Lily, you know, just to like tone down the pressure, I would be like, nobody's going to look at your middle school grades. Well, guess what? Last year she took three high school classes. So I didn't say that last year. So I stopped saying that. But I used to tone her down by saying nobody cares about your middle school grades. So now what I'm going to say to you is just do your best and that's good enough. Speaker 4 (5:13) And it's just the beginning of every year of school. Like the first four weeks are always so like getting used to it. Like I remember my first earth science test. I was so scared. Like once Speaker 3 (5:24) I'm getting into school, it'll Speaker 4 (5:26) be better. Speaker 3 (5:27) I saw your earth science teacher at the football game. Did you see him? No, I didn't. Did you talk to him? I did because I told him I was going to send you down and then I didn't find you. I should have texted you. Speaker 2 (5:38) Yeah. Speaker 3 (5:39) I saw him and his wife and his baby. Aw, cute. Yeah. What is your favorite part of your school day right now? Like classes, anything? Speaker 4 (5:49) When you're talking. Anything. Anything in your school day. I'm going to have to say my favorite part. I'm not even going to lie. Maybe chorus. Speaker 4 (6:03) And like, it's really, yeah, it's so fun. And like, it's the one class that's just like, we like in middle school, it was you just sing the whole period. Now it's like we talk and then there's like 10 minutes left and then we sing. And it's just like, it relaxes me so much. Like we stand up, like I'm sitting all day. Speaker 3 (6:23) So I was so nervous because all of Lily's friends are taking photography. So you have to take a music or an art. So all of her friends picked photography. I don't think anyone picked chorus. And Lily was like, nope, I'm doing chorus. And I was like,