Life becomes a continuous cycle of new beginnings, dramatic entrances, and bittersweet endings.
From the start of a new season to the end of a month, people have been dramatically synthesized to the understanding of shiny new chapters.
Students especially understand the shifting dynamic of cycles, the school schedule like clock work for most.
Every hour, a new subject. Every day, a new lesson. Every week, a new chapter. Every month, a new unit. Every year, a new grade.
New teachers, electives, sports, dances, concerts, performances, and opportunities.
Day in and day out, students across the globe are expected to take up the hefty load of schedule changes and manage time within the school environment.
And while most are comfortable with the swift changes, operating on the signal of a chiming bell, picking a new schedule for the next school year has proven to be the most daunting transformation of all.
It is common knowledge for all students, especially at LOHS, that GED requirements are not suggestions.
In order to graduate, every Senior must complete a specialized amount of time in each subject area. Adding on another layer, LOHS counselors and administration offer more recommendations that aim to better students’ chances in getting into universities across the nation.
For example, an extra year of foreign language is strongly recommended to every student. Three years of science is also better for a student’s resume in education. And an extra year or two of math has become almost a necessity for students across the board.
Why? To help students cover all bases in order to succeed in every major possible.
This occurs because Freshman, Sophomores, and even some Juniors, do not know where they will study, what they will major in, or if they are even attending college. Another problem they face is how much they’re willing to pay for tuition.
It’s the mystery game of childhood. Most students don’t solve this mystery until their senior year of high school.
So what do students think about selecting classes for next year?
Sophomore Charlee Gilland said, “Yeah [it’s hard to choose classes for next year] because you need to follow GEDs and three classes are often strongly recommended.”
Which leaves the question of what their education means to them. The question of why must students follow an education of the majority? Why must every student take three years of foreign language, four years of math, and three years of science? To check a box on college applications? To secure safety in getting into college?
Many students face an agenda set up years ago that encourages a path of future success.
But it’s stressful when a student doesn’t want to study STEM in college. It’s stressful when a student needs leadership positions in electives, a promise made to teachers of the arts, in order to succeed in high school.
Pick and choose, prioritize an academic class over an artistic class.
Sophomore Dani Rentmeester also agreed that choosing classes for next year is not a walk in the park. “…it determines your future and how hard school’s going to be for the next year,” said Rentmeester.
School is the breeder of stress for a majority of students. So, when our peers are offered Advanced Placement (AP) classes, they are quick to take the bait. And as a result, we all collectively suffer in academia and drown in anxiety as we struggle through college in our high school years.
“I don’t want to develop senioritis,” said Junior Kayla Sandoval-Lopez. A common phrase for a common social disease. One every senior fears and relies upon.
With extra classes, dual enrollment, a push for school involvement, and required leadership positions, senioritis seems fundamental after four years of academic labour.
Students are used to change. We even welcome it.
But when we are faced with the gruelling reminder of a new schedule and a push for certain classes, the common anxiety of social shifts becomes apparent in Osos culture.