Hi y’all!

Piper Peanut, back again to set a few lingering questions straight and to share my input on matters that can help all of my little junior high peanuts take on the challenge that is WHHS with ease.

First things first, let’s talk about getting from class to class in the most efficient way possible. I know that the five minutes of passing time given can seem meager, especially with all the WHHS traffic, but if you follow these three simple steps, it might just help make the time frame seem much more manageable.

• Explore a little: Try different routes when going from class to class and see which ones are most time efficient for you. Try different hallways and think about going outside (in appropriate weather). Make sure that your experiments aren’t at a time where you’re put at risk of being even later to class than usual.

• Ask around: As the youngest two grades of WHHS, it’s often difficult for Effies and E-Flats to simply ask older students as well as fellow peers for advice. However, keep in mind that most Walnut students were just like you at one point and asking them for the best routes from one part of the school to another can’t hurt.

• Tell your teacher: If you ever get to the point where getting from one class to another seems like a totally impossible task, even after trying steps one and two, tell your teacher. Talk to them and tell them why getting to class within the 5 minutes is a struggle and come up with a plan to fix it.

Another pressing matter I see going on a lot with my junior high kiddos is the problem of over-sized backpacks. The method for acquiring a locker changed a little this year and it is now first come first serve. If you have yet to get a locker this year and find that your backpack adds an increasingly heavy strain to your back, I suggest finding one of the many nice bottom lockers available to you in between the classes that require you to bring the most stuff.

For students who already have a locker but do not use it, I highly recommend you give it a shot. Consider leaving behind any items you don’t need to take home for homework at the end of the day and try getting to school before the warning bell rings to collect it all. This can relieve a lot of the strain a heavy backpack can put on your shoulders and back, plus your future self will thank you.

Hopefully your nerves are coming down a bit following last week’s MAP testing and after several weeks into the year, you have settled down as the true walnut student you are. Take things one step at a time and don’t forget that WHHS is a community filled with answers to nearly every question you may have, just don’t be afraid to reach out and ask.