By Sophia Swenson
Palms sweaty and hearts pounding, more than 1,000 freshmen and LTAC students enter Lane’s doors. All are nervous and, while plenty find themselves lost, only some have their own personal guides pointing them in the right direction.
It is no surprise that Lane serves as a home to more than one member of the same family. And with their relatives attending Lane, a few new students found the fluorescently-lit hallways to be a little less intimidating and a little more comforting.
Adam Rebora, Div. 390, a junior at Lane, had no problem giving his sister tips about new teachers and navigating Lane’s hallways, while simultaneously, “[Trying] not to let her do any freshman stuff.”
Lane lanyards, using a map in the hallways, and carrying drafting supplies have been considered standard “freshman traits” at Lane. Although some choose to wear their lanyards with pride, many freshman and LTAC students are encouraged to hide such a “newcomer give-away.”
Andrea Meza, Div. 752, an LTAC student, heard similar advice on how to avoid looking like a freshman from her sister, a current junior at Lane.
“‘Don’t wear your hang-around’,” Meza said, “’And don’t ask upperclassmen for directions because they’ll send you the wrong way’.”
Lots of the warnings seemed to be about surviving life in the hallways.
“[My cousin told me], ‘you have to be careful because the big kids don’t watch where they’re going,’” said Olivia Clafford, Div. 752, another LTAC student who stands a full foot shorter than most Lane students.
Not all Lane veterans were as helpful to their younger siblings with whom they now share a school.
Meza’s sister was not too fond of the idea of Meza going to Lane. She worried it might make a dent in her social life.
Kamila Postolowicz, Div. 752, said her sister took some time to warm up to the idea of the two attending Lane at the same time.
“She wasn’t super happy about me coming,” Postolowicz said. “Now my sister’s okay with me going here. When we see each other we don’t really talk.”
As freshman and seventh graders enter high school life, it means for many older siblings or relatives that their once little brother or sister has become a teenage brother or sister. And although they can still talk to them in the hallways, or walk them to class, it has come time for many Lane students to let their siblings head off towards their grown up lives.
“He just said ‘good luck’ and went his own way,” said Sergio Cuenca, Div. 751.
