Over their four years at Urban, students’ perspectives, experiences and behaviors shift from ninth to 12th grade and from the beginning to the end of their time at Urban. Here, ninth and 12th graders reflected on their first impressions of social dynamics in the class of ‘25 and the class of ‘28.
What surprised you about the class of ‘28?
Devon Zeches ‘28: “In the first week, [the grade] kind of broke off into more cliques. … Generally, people wanted to stay with the people they already knew, but after a while, it started to feel easier to talk to other students and make new friends. [Now] I feel like everyone can hang out with anyone. I don’t think [the cliques are] super prominent [anymore], but I definitely felt [them] in the beginning.”
Catie Crehan ‘25: “I think it was surprising in freshman and sophomore year how insanely cliquey [Urban] was. … This freshman class doesn’t seem as separated [as] we were. They seemed kind of chill with everybody.”
Ever Cole-Baker ‘28: “Everyone definitely [feels] very new, but also goofy and comfortable. We [made] a lot of fun memories when we went to Angel Island, … so I [felt] comfortable from the start because everyone was just really welcoming.”
What are your first impressions of the class of ‘25?
Livy Seff ‘28: “I was kind of scared going to a club at first, because [I thought], ‘What if [the seniors] don’t want me to be here?’ But they’re cool. It [was] great.”
Ada London ‘28: “I expected [the seniors] to be tall and intimidating — like they were towering over us. But [the seniors] who I’ve interacted with were not like that. They were really nice and were happy to give directions if you got lost. Like, [my friends and I] accidentally sat down in [the old library]. [We] didn’t realize it was a senior space and nobody yelled at us.”
What have you reflected on throughout your experience at Urban?
Jaxson Howard ‘25: “I think there’s a greater sense of community. … The transition, I think, is very subtle [in] the moment, but when you look back on it, you’re like, ‘Wow, that is such a difference.’ We now have a better grade identity, … and there’s a mutual understanding that it’s our last year [together]. I think at the end of the day, we all just want to see each other succeed.”
Cleo Morris ‘25: “I think you have to realize that your value in school doesn’t have to be [based on] how many friends you have, but rather, [in] deepness and your appreciation for [your] friendships. … It’s okay to not be everyone’s friend. Sometimes you are just not similar to each other.”
Anushka Chandran ‘25: “I feel like somewhere between your sophomore [and] junior [year], your friends change, … [and] I feel like that’s what happens when you change. Now I know a lot more people, not just in our grade, which I feel is unique to Urban.”
