What is High School Really Like?

By: Reddi Johnson

Thomas B. Fordham Institute 

Are you aware that 75% of High Schoolers feel negatively about high school? There are many ups and downs of being a highschooler at all grade levels. It's not really something you can prepare for, no one really does a good job at explaining it, and it kinda just….happens.  Click “read more” to understand high school from a student's perspective.

Being a high schooler is hard. “The hardest part about high school…  I’d say the work demand and the deadlines.” said Elizabeth, a Washington high school student. Elizabeth, and many other kids seem to share similar feelings about their school workload. High schoolers are overloaded with work from head to toe! 8 different classes, means 8 different subjects of homework going along with it.  This makes life very stressful and much more difficult for these young adults than it has to be.

High school’s not all bad, there's many things to take part in and lots of opportunities/extracurriculars for students to be a part of. Every year of highschool marks a new chapter in their lives. Like every good book the chapters relate to the story yet have their own differences!

“ My favorite year?.... Sophomore. I kinda got to do what I want, but not really” said Sean Williams, a junior at Washington High School. These are the more laid back years of highschool. You're doing your work and there is not much to worry about, who wouldn’t miss running around with not much to worry about? Everyone thinks those are the best years. While many people may agree with Sean, a few felt differently. “Honestly senior year, I'm having a blast! Freshman year was rough, junior year was rough, it’s a lot better.” said Elizabeth. These things are all a matter of opinion people seem to love the grade they feel they have the most control in.

At the end of the day  highschoolers are all just growing kids, becoming young adults, and taking the necessary steps into adulthood. They’re SCARED, and they're allowed to be. It's a scary thing! Yet it's also beautiful, it’s a part of life that they get to experience in pieces and look back on when they've reached different stages in their life. High school is terrifying, and it's almost NEVER like the movies, but it can be amazing and the best 4 years of life for some people, so cherish it.