by Isaac Hoenig

I walked into L-S for the first time a year and a half ago not at all sure what high school entailed. Every day held new experiences despite the repetitive monotony of the regular school week. Freshman year was characterized by its newness and unfamiliarity. Luckily my sophomore year was different.
By the time I entered L-S for the second time I was a pro. I already knew my locker combination, where the German classroom was, and how the cryptic schedule worked. Within a week of sophomore year I was adjusted to the ebb and flow of a typical week at L-S. Lincoln-Sudbury still surprises me but the surprises are not nearly as routine as they were only one year prior.
As I got more comfortable being at L-S, I branched out more. I quit soccer, mostly because I wanted to run, but partly because I did not want to get cut from the JV team. I went to one of the in-school Model UN conferences (a word of advice to anyone considering joining Model UN: I sincerely recommend preparing something before going to a MUN conference). Also, I surprised myself by volunteering to host a German exchange student and walking around with, as Frau Campbell would say, “my very own German” for three weeks.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news to anyone younger than a sophomore reading this, but school work is harder sophomore year, at least up until quarter four. Almost every class was harder and assigned more work this year than last.
Coming into sophomore year I was hoping that all the teachers were wrong and that tenth grade would be a breeze and I would be able to focus less on school work and more on things that I actually cared about. I know it sounds cliché, but despite the increase in the work load, a few of my classes were interesting. After two years, I finally feel like I can almost talk in German, know something about American history, and occasionally understand Algebra II.
The most important thing I could say about sophomore year is not to feel inhibited. Once I got used to the rhythm of L-S, it was easy to walk around with blinders on and only pay attention to the things that I was involved in already. Once I took those blinders off and opened up to all the possibilities L-S offers, I started to enjoy all that Lincoln-Sudbury has to offer much more.