Freshman year at Academic Magnet is a big learning curve. Sometimes you’re taking your first AP class, you’re learning to manage your time with the new load of homework and studying, but also having time for the new friends you make at this new school. I interviewed two members of the class of 2028, Eliza Dargan and Maggie Schwartz!
Eliza is from the beautiful city of Charleston, while Maggie, like me, is from Mount Pleasant. They both went to Moultrie Middle School. The reason Eliza picked Magnet is because of her parents, but she still says that her first year at AMHS has been good so far. Maggie picked Magnet because she felt like it had good academic opportunities and she liked the idea of a smaller school environment. When asked what her first impression of Magnet was, Eliza said that she really liked it and that she still does. Maggie said she was nervous she would spend all her time doing homework, but now she knows it’s really not that bad. It’s always exciting to hear that people are glad they decided to come to Magnet! Maggie says the hardest adjustment from middle school is the longer drive to school, and Eliza says that the hardest adjustment was learning how to manage her time better, which was the same for me my first year, so I’m sure many other freshmen can relate. Maggie’s favorite part of high school so far is the added freedom and the fact that she has friends from all over Charleston. Eliza’s favorite part of high school so far has been Spirit Week, and that’s so relatable. One of the unique traditions we have is wall day, and I think it’s so special because each grade gets to represent themselves. Eliza says that there aren’t any classes or teachers that have stood out to her this year, but maybe in the future, she’ll find some teachers or classes that are really special! Maggie says her favorite class is English because Mrs. Akery makes the class more interesting and it is easier to pay attention.
This year, both freshies joined the tennis team. Eliza says she really likes to play, and Maggie says it was great meeting people in different grades and that winning states was really fun! Joining a team at your school is such a fun experience! Eliza also joined Key Club as a way to volunteer more in her community. AMHS has a great volunteering community, so we’re really glad Eliza is immersing herself early. She also says that she’s made some new friends, which is the case for so many Magnet students since we have peers from so many different middle schools. Maggie has made new friends, too, but she also sticks with her old friends from middle school. Outside of school, Eliza loves to surf, which is a common hobby for plenty of Magnet students. Maggie likes to play tennis recreationally as well. Another hobby she has is wakeboarding! Water-related hobbies are easy to pick up in this beautiful region we live in. Maggie says she balances her school work with activities by trying to plan ahead and use her study hall time. This is definitely a valuable piece of advice that everyone should follow! Eliza’s main goal for the rest of high school is to get far in math, and Maggie says she wants to keep up her grades and get into a good college.
A piece of advice Eliza has for incoming freshmen is to do their assignments right away so they don’t fall behind, which I would like to say is also something you should do throughout all four years at Magnet. Maggie says her biggest piece of advice for incoming freshmen is that they should branch out to meet new people. If she could go back to the start of the school year and do one thing differently, Eliza says she would tell herself not to stress so much about how perfect her work had to be, while Maggie says she would have worked harder to make Wall Day better. Eliza also wishes that the upperclassmen could understand that the freshmen are trying to adjust to a new environment so they could cut them some slack. I definitely agree with this! We all had to go through it at one point, so we should keep that in mind. She says that if she were to describe her freshman year in one word, it would be eventful because of all the new experiences she’s had since entering high school. Maggie also added that her most embarrassing moment is whenever she trips on nothing but her Ugg shoes every time she wears them .As Eliza and Maggie move forward at Magnet, I’m sure they’ll continue to thrive. Their goals, whether it’s advancing in math or keeping up good grades, show that they’re already thinking about their futures and how they want to succeed. It’s inspiring to see freshmen so motivated and excited about their time at Magnet. As I look back on the interviews with Eliza and Maggie, it’s really cool to see how they’ve navigated their first year at Magnet. Both of them have shown that it’s totally possible to balance the tough academics with extracurricular activities and making new friends. I think it’s awesome that they both joined the tennis team—it’s such a great way to meet people from different grades and have fun while doing it.
Eliza and Maggie’s freshman experiences at Academic Magnet High School highlight the challenges and rewards of navigating rigorous academics and new friendships. Their stories offer valuable insights for incoming freshmen, emphasizing the importance of time management and social engagement. As they continue their journey, their enthusiasm and ambition set a promising stage for their future success at Magnet. There are so many more questions we could ask, but this was just a little insight to a couple of Magnet’s newest students! We can’t wait to follow the rest of their journey at Magnet!
