Sometimes it is fun to look outside of our school community to see what other students around the country are experiencing during their 9th grade year. During this holiday break, I chatted with my nieces, Catalina and Maddy, about their freshmen year experience.  Catalina, who is attending the largest high school in Chicago and second largest in the state of Illinois, has not stepped foot in her school since a tour last spring;  Maddy is attending a high school in Central New Jersey that has been in a hybrid setting since the start of the school year. They share stories similar to what many of our EHS students have experienced during these beginning months of school.