Approximately ninety new 9th graders joined the class of ‘29 on August 25th for the 2025 – 2026 school year. Now a month in, these students are immersing themselves in the HW culture, contributing to classes, leadership, and athletics, on top of adjusting to a new school environment.
Figuring out how to balance his new athletics and academics schedule is one of the many adjustments JV Water Polo Player, Alex O’Connor ’29, is learning to make.
“We have practice every day from around 3:20 – 6:00, and on Saturdays from 9:00-11:00. I normally end up getting home around 7:00, then starting on my homework. I’m lucky enough to have two blocks free, and so far the homework has been very manageable,” O’Connor says.
While not uncommon, some of the new 9th graders are enrolled in two sports, creating another challenge while trying to meet their teachers, learn school culture, and manage a busy timetable. Fencer and Robotics team member Annabel Lin ’29 said:
“It’s been hard to find a good balance between my workload and practice schedules. I do both robotics and fencing, which fills up my afterschool time with practices and weekends with events.”
Joining a new school can be difficult; navigating a new campus, making friends, managing time, especially when adjusting to the schedule and different workload.
“My previous school was a public school, and I wasn’t assigned that much homework on a daily basis. Most of what I took home were unfinished class assignments. In contrast, Harvard-Westlake provides a much more structured workload. I would say that the homework is manageable; it’s not excessive to the point of being overwhelming, but it does require a few focused hours each day.” said Bella Cho ’29.
Lin agrees with this, having said: “I have found myself spending the most of my free time with doing homework and studying. This results in most of my time being spent at the Learning Center or the library to do work.”O’Connor came in with high expectations from his brother, and said: “My brother told me that the teachers here were more caring, knowledgeable, and fun than any teachers I’ve ever had, and I don’t think I truly grasped that until I had some of my teachers. Nothing didn’t meet my expectations. I find it hard to imagine expecting something better than what’s already there.”
The new 9th graders are also excited to take part in classic HW traditions, and O’Connor has already participated in one; wearing suits with the water polo team on the first day of school. He also stated he’s excited to play in the Homecoming game this weekend, on September 27.
