Freshman Xinye Zhu has been enjoying her time at Lincoln so far. Zhu appreciates the strong and large community at Lincoln. The greater number of students at Lincoln has helped Zhu find communities that have similar hobbies. One club she’s joined is the Pink Valley Dance Team, where members learn choreography from K-pop groups to perform. On the team, she is able to share her interest in dance with others.

“I really love the community and how many options you have in clubs,” said Zhu. “I find it really fun because I have people in my community who share the same interests as me.”

Zhu’s sister, senior Ziyu Zhu, appreciates her personality and enjoys spending time with her.

“She’s really witty and social,” said Ziyu Zhu. “When you get to know her, she’s nice and she’s understanding.”

Coming from West Sylvan Middle School to Lincoln, Zhu says it’s a drastic change, but overall she is enjoying the new atmosphere.

“[Lincoln is] definitely different. I remember in middle school, I wanted a bigger environment because my middle school was small [when compared to Lincoln],” said Zhu. “[The change in size] is definitely a little jarring, and also, the homework load is really different. But all in all, I’m really loving my life here.”

Her transition from middle school to high school has been smoothed by her sister’s support.

“She’s taken a lot of the same classes as me, so she’s helped me academically, but also mentally as a support,” said Zhu. “Sometimes classes get really hard, and she’s like, ‘oh don’t worry I took that class before,’ and ‘hey I can help you with that assignment.’”