Scheduling Stress

The second nine weeks is rolling to a halt, meaning you’ve successfully made it half way through the year! For everyone but those lucky seniors, that means it’s time to start stressing about what NEXT year will look like, with scheduling just around the corner. Freshman aren’t too worried, as word around the street is that sophomore year is the year for them. The pressure of knowing what they want their whole future to look like being barely bone crushing. Sophomores and juniors however, are feeling the pressure to know how many kids they’ll have at age 30 and what shoe size they’ll all be, all revolving around the classes they take their last two years of high school, of course.

Thankfully, our current graduating seniors have been through the process and can supply the underclassmen with a few tips and tricks.

“Definitely don’t be afraid to talk to your guidance counselor about any questions you have,” said senior Kelsea Relihan. “And AFTER you do that, talking to other upperclassmen always helps because they have first hand insight the guidance counselors might not be able to share.”

A personal favorite class of Relihan’s was Anatomy and Physiology, an elective available to anyone who has taken health. She recommends it for anyone interested in anything involving healthcare, or if you’re just interested in learning more about the human body and how it works, that can never hurt.

There’s a lot of chit and chat about AP classes and the rigorous courses and wretched exams, but in reality they’re not too scary, and they’re a great opportunity to get a taste of what college is like if that’s the path you choose to take. 

“Don’t be intimidated to take AP classes and push yourself,” said senior Ethan Donehue. “Your teachers will one hundred percent help you if you need it and you talk to them.”

Donehue also mentions that it’s a great way to possibly get some college credits out of the way and save some money. Even if the credits don’t transfer, then you go into the classes knowing what you’re looking at and will be familiar with the curriculum. 

Scheduling appears to be stressful as all get out with seemingly no solution other than being able to see the future. Junior Riley Gillis assures that there actually isn’t as much stressing in it as it seems.

“It’s over before you know it really, and then when you get back from the summer and start going through the motions of your classes, you can’t even remember why you stressed about it so much in the first place.”

Mrs. Panzer and Mr. Hess know the schedule better than anyone, and have probably been asked about every question in the book from having heard them time and time again over the years, meaning they’ve had to find an answer to all of them too. Clear communication with the professionals can help you get where you need to be, and remember they’ll always be there if what you chose isn’t working out and you want to explore other options.

Although having to think about your future may make you feel like the world is ending, any questions you have can be answered by your peers or your guidance counselors and teachers–don’t be afraid to ask!