Month: September 2023

What High School is Like in 2023

High school is about finding your individuality. Students are now getting to the age where they have acquired basic levels of knowledge. Their perspectives have now changed from focusing on school to focusing on themselves. Students have to find out personally what they believe in. Not what their family, teachers, or peers are pushing them to pursue.

It is a struggle to fight against the screaming opinions of those around us. It is a constant tug-of-war battle between approval and our values. So many things are being waved in front of us that it is hard to tell what we actually want to pursue. Sports, academics, and clubs are all wonderful resources but with all the options being held with high regard and vying for our attention, it is difficult to discover what really gets us excited. 


It takes the full four years of high school in order to figure out what we are really striving for. Freshman year brings in nervous excitement. We are assured we have time before making big life choices. Sophomore year we are glumly aware that we have another three full years of stress.

Junior year is when the chaos arrives. The world is telling us we have to decide what we want, how we want it, and where we want it to take place. Walls enclose around us and we are worried what people will think about us during the end of our academic race. Students who want to pursue a high form of education are pounding at walls and digging through options, all to find themselves drawing a blank. This sets back their determination, and quite frankly, their confidence. The unrealistic expectations thrown at them can shovel in unnecessary anxiety and self-doubt.

Finally, Senior year rolls in. Our lives are now encompassed by one question; what are you doing next year? Some students are excited by it, others are filled with existential dread. Either way, a ticking time bomb fills our stomachs. Our 12-year marathon is turning into a mad dash to the finish line. Our time is finally up and we take our first uneasy steps as adults.

Our culture is roaring for our validation. But without the challenges and disruptions, our core values would never be sculpted. Individuality is forged, not found. After stepping through the flames of high school, we emerge holding only our strongest values. Keeping true to your beliefs is what solidifies who you are. High school is filled with its ups and downs, but sticking out through the turmoil will ignite the strongest parts of yourself that are waiting to be lit.