As graduation creeps ever closer, I can’t help but watch on in envy, and occasionally horror, as juniors and underclassmen select their classes for the upcoming school year. When I was planning out my high school schedule, it was easy to think that I was occupying my time to its fullest advantage, but hindsight is, of course, 20/20. Although I can’t correct the errors I made in high school, I’d like to take a moment to give my two cents on what to do (and what to avoid) as you plan out your next few years.
Freshman Year
I kicked off my freshman year with an online class over the summer. Registering for Personal Fitness through A2Virtual+ was a move I would absolutely recommend to anyone with the opportunity: it took up minimal time, opened an elective slot, and saved me from the ritualistic humiliation of running the mile with a class of 20 other teenagers. What I would not recommend, however, is neglecting to take advantage of that aforementioned elective slot. I had already registered for most of the electives I was interested in, yet chose to fill my open elective with another relatively breezy class, instead of getting a head start on prerequisites, or the required chemistry credit.
Course selections in freshman year are pretty restricted. It can be hard to work ahead when so many requirements are reserved for sophomores and upperclassmen, but my suggestion is to take a gander at the course selection guides for later years, consider what classes you’re interested in, and see if any of those tricky pre-reqs can be taken in your freshman year. If necessary, don’t be afraid to reach out to your counselor to see what their suggestion would be, and if they could pull a few strings for you. It’s their job to help you succeed – don’t be afraid of being proactive by going above and beyond.
Sophomore Year
Sophomore year is the first time that Skyline students have access to AP classes. This is a great opportunity not all schools have access to, but it can also be stressful if you don’t know what you’re getting into. Luckily, both sophomore year APs are great ways to dip your feet into the pool of college classes. AP Environmental Science is certainly the most popular, and is an experience I would absolutely encourage. Unfortunately, I was talked out of taking AP U.S. History, a decision I’ve come to regret somewhat.
While two AP classes certainly would’ve been an intense workload for my sophomore year, I know now that I’m capable of it. Not to mention, I do feel a bit of FOMO, having missed out on what sound like some great assignments, and a more engaging curriculum than I was afforded in standard U.S. history. Not to mention, I would have once again saved myself from another dull elective, and gotten a head start on some college credits. The truth is, AP classes are totally manageable if you’re willing to set aside a bit of extra time, and stay committed to being physically and mentally present in class. If you’re interested in the subject matter, a more rigorous curriculum, or are thinking ahead to college, don’t limit yourself to just one AP class.
Junior Year
In my junior year, I finally made the decision to drop Latin, after I earned all my required language credits and the course became a bit too challenging for me to breeze through the way I had been. While most teachers and counselors will tell you to stick with a language for four years in order to spruce up your college resume, that isn’t why I regret dropping my language. Not only was my Latin teacher incredible and passionate, I’ve come to wish I had a better grasp on the language as a whole. It’s only this year that I’ve realized how handicapped I am by my linguistic limitation to English. Of course, Latin isn’t useful in the same way Spanish is, but sticking with it certainly would have set me up for an easier transition into learning other romance languages.
On the flip side, I do feel that I truly came into my own during junior year. Taking both AP Government and Politics and AP Language and Composition illuminated my passion for political science and equipped me with some great tools for the composition of college-level writing. Junior year is a time when different avenues become more accessible; there were a number of other AP classes I would never dream of taking, but I know have aligned with my classmates’ career goals. While much of this year might be spent stressing over standardized testing, dreading your packed schedule of physics and chemistry, and cramming for college applications, there’s a lot to love about the freedom you gain in junior year. Holding down a job, having a driver’s license, and contemplating my future in college, all allowed me to feel much more ‘adult’ than I had in freshman and sophomore year.
Senior Year
As my final year of high school draws to a close, I can say with confidence that it has not been the cakewalk I was expecting. Although I lightened my course load by dropping my first hour, that extra hour of sleep in the morning was made up for by my being constantly stressed in every other area of my life.
I had, at this point, exhausted nearly every elective I was interested in taking at Skyline. After minimal convincing, I elected to get a jump on my college requirements by taking two classes at Washtenaw Community College. Not only did these classes allow me more variation in my schedule, but they also gave me a better idea of what is expected in college classes — something the curriculum at Skyline doesn’t mirror particularly closely. To anyone with the time in their schedule, picking up a class or two at WCC is certainly a change I would suggest.
Along with my WCC classes, another ‘first’ was the independent study in ceramics I took in 3rd trimester. I’ve always been an artist, but it had been a long time since I’d really had the chance to sit down and hone my craft. Taking this independent study in senior year truly gave me a sense of closure, as I was able to both improve my skills and look back at where all my hard work had gotten me.
While I may have felt overwhelmed in my senior year, there aren’t many things I would change. I was able to engage with everything I wanted to, and don’t feel that I missed out on any essential experiences. Even though I didn’t have a guide like this one to lead me in the right direction, I still ended up where I feel I need to be. So, while I hope that this post can lend you a few helpful nuggets of advice, all any of us can do is live, and learn, and grow, day by day.
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