High School Students

By: Janet Borchardt

High school is a very unique environment. Even though we all read the same textbooks, are assigned the same papers and worksheets, and walk the same halls, everyone’s experience is completely different from the person who sits to the right or left of them in class. There are unique combinations of characteristics like being high-achieving, careless, athletic, musically gifted, artistic, mechanically inclined, employed, introverted, extroverted, anxious, happy, and depressed all within this building. I think that the level of involvement, employment, and amount of academic ambition are the key factors to define how a high school student’s experience will pan out to be.

Involvement is something that really separates people in this 4 year experience. Whether it’s athletics, choir, band, student council, mentoring, or national honors society, it makes an impact on who you’re around and how much time you’re giving up. Being a part of something helps establish relationships with the teachers and coaches involved, as well as creates friendships. People who are involved typically are the more social and organized people in school, because they have to manage the responsibilities of academics and extra curriculars as well as interact with more people in depth.

Along with involvement inside the school, those who are involved outside in the form of a job are a step up when it comes to time management and responsibilities. Having a job during the school year is a challenge, but also helps to teach a student additional skills and exposes them to more people than they would see just in school. I also believe that employed teenagers are more independent and educated as far as finances go, because they have paychecks coming in and learn how to manage them, and don’t always need to ask Mom or Dad to buy them something.

The amount of academic ambition is a huge role in how a high school experience will be. Even though every student goes through about the same amount of classes a day and takes the same required classes, the amount of success and challenge is a huge variable. There are those who don’t care, and know an efficient enough method to get by with a low GPA and a C or D just to complete requirements. There are also the people who take college classes, challenging non-required courses, and try their hardest to get every point on the rubric. Many students are in between these two. The student you choose to be can determine how much free time you’ll have or how much success and financial aid you’ll have in the next step of life. Which ever student you choose to be, just know that every choice, involvement, and attitude will create your path for the next 4 years.