Clique Bait

The first semester of the school year is drawing to a close. Not only does it indicate the coming of exams, but it also marks the four-month anniversary of this academic year’s new students.

According to several of these students who have taken part in a survey, the prominent social groups and cliques at this school may be closed off, but the individuals remain friendly and sociable towards new students.

On the first day of school, 71.4% of the students stated that they were first approached by others. Though some of the students struggled to find friends, the majority found like-minded peers easily

That is not to say that the divisions within the school were not distinct to the newcomers. On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the school being very cliquey, the majority answered 7. Despite this, less than half of the students (42.9%) felt they belonged in a clique. This may be the cause of varying responses about fitting in. The majority of students agreed that they had to find a common interest to bond their friend groups together.

When it came to adjusting to the school’s social life, most agreed that it was easier to than expected. “In my previous campus I felt like a time traveller, coming into an unbeknownst world. But here, I feel at home,” said one new student. However, this question too had varied answers and may reflect individual traits. The students were equally divided on whether these friend groups were closed off or not. Regardless, the huge majority currently feel well accepted within the school’s community. Based on a series of written answers, the students appreciate their circle of friends and have adapted well. Some have also stated that their circle will expand as they meet more friends through mutual friends or group projects.

When compared to their previous school, only 28.6% of the participants thought that Springfield is less social and that the students were harder to approach. The rest thought that Springfield is more social, easier to approach, or similar to their previous school.

Additionally, 42.9% of the students agreed Springfield is less closed off. There are still students who think otherwise, but despite this, they state that the students are welcoming enough. It was also stated that despite the group divisions, each class still feels unified. To some students, this was a departure from how one class was one group of fewer students.

With a varied selection of personalities, unconventional interests, and humour, new students are guaranteed multiple possibilities of friendship.