Making the Jump

February 10, 2010  
Filed under Opinion

All throughout 8^th grade, our teachers told us “In the high school they won’t baby you” and “You’re going to have a big wake-up call next year.” For some students this is not exactly true. Although the jump from 8^th grade to freshman year is a tough one emotionally, the real test is the large amount of difference between sophomore and junior year. At least at Ottawa High School it is.

Freshman year can be an emotional roller coaster. These kids are going from being the top dog to being at the bottom of the totem pole. Upperclassmen can be intimidating, and not to mention walking around a totally new school. You have some classes with students who are not in the same grade as you, and you may not always feel very comfortable. Throughout the year this gets easier for most. After making it through freshman year, sophomore year is a breeze. You know upperclassmen, you are no longer the youngest and the work is not much harder. For many, these two years are the easiest and most enjoyable in high school.

Junior year was the toughest year that I experienced by far. Teachers expected more and the work was significantly more difficult. Classes just seemed to be harder at this level. The amount of stress that came with being a junior was drastic compared to that of the previous years. Junior had the option of taking college classes, which again, added more stress.

Add extracurricular activities and work to the equation and it created a rather nerve-racking life for the students. The typical day of a student athlete who also works includes waking up around 6 a.m , go to school for 7 hours, directly after school they endure anywhere from 1 to 3 hours of practice for their sport, they then head to work for a few hours, go home and do it all over again the next day. Day after day this gets exhausting.

Enduring so much as a high school student does prepare us for the real world, in my opinion. Junior and senior years really get you ready for life after high school. The experiences I had as a junior better prepared me for my senior year.

I believe the freshman and sophomore teachers should step it up a little. Maybe not make it too tough, but do not give the students so much slack that the difference between sophomore and junior year is a shock to many. This would make for a little less stress for the students because they would be eased into school gradually getting more difficult.

Students should have to work hard but they should not have to suffer from so much stress because of the lack of communication between the different teachers. Teachers should remember that students take on a lot and students should remember that school should always come first.

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Abby New

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