Eighth graders across the country learned more than just math, science, and grammar during the 24–25 school year. At schools everywhere, from big cities to small towns, students faced challenges and changes that helped them grow in new ways. Whether it was learning how to manage time, coming back from failing a test, or staying organized, they picked up life skills that aren’t always in textbooks. Teachers and parents noticed these changes too, which is why it’s important to talk about what students really take away from middle school.
One of the biggest lessons we learned was about friendship. We came into this year thinking we had it all figured out, who our friends were, who we’d sit with at lunch, who we’d walk to class with. But things changed. Some friendships grew stronger, others quietly went away, and a few ended in messy group chats or awkward silences. Through it all, we learned that being a good friend means being honest, being supportive, and sometimes being the first one to say ‘I’m sorry.’ It also means understanding when it’s time to let someone go, even if it hurts. We realized that true friends show up when it matters, not just when things are fun.
“You have to chose your friends wisely because your friends impact everything you do.” Kate Remillard said.
We also learned that failure is part of life, and not just something to avoid. Everyone messed up at some point this year, whether it was failing a quiz, freezing during a presentation, or making a decision they regretted. At first, those moments felt awful. But slowly, we began to understand that failing doesn’t mean we’re not smart or capable, it just means we’re growing. In fact, some of the things we messed up actually taught us more than the times we got things right. It takes courage to keep going after falling short, but that’s how we get better, not by being perfect, but by pushing through the imperfect.
”If I failed a test, I studied harder so that I would do well on the next one.” Max Yu said.
Time management? Let’s just say eighth grade gave us a reality check. Between homework, sports, clubs, family stuff, and trying to have a social life (and, let’s be honest, screen time), a lot of us struggled to keep everything balanced. Some of us became masters at last-minute studying. Others learned the hard way of what happens when you leave a project until the night before. But by the end of the year, many of us started figuring it out. We learned how to prioritize, how to plan, and how to ask for help when things feel hard. And maybe, just maybe, we realized that sleep is actually important.
”When you get a homework assignment you have to do it right when you get home so you don’t have to stay up late working on it, and when you have a test you don’t have to study the same amount everyday but you have to use your free time to study, not just be on your phone.” Gretchen Meyer said.
But above all, the biggest lesson we learned is that we’re stronger than we thought. We got through hard days, awkward moments, big disappointments, and unexpected challenges, and we made it to the end of the year. Sometimes we laughed, sometimes we cried, sometimes we just wanted to stay home. But we kept showing up. We grew up a little more this year, not just in height, but in confidence, in perspective, and in heart.
”I grew in all the aspects of my life like sports and school, I got better at them by practicing at them everyday.” Gage Tussing said.
