Drowsily stumbling through the day, an irritated, sleep deprived, average high school student can be seen in their natural state. Trying to finish our work, we jump through hoops to please those around us. At the same time, we squeeze in personal pleasures and not to mention a minimal amount of sleep almost every night.
Most of us dream of the day that this torture will stop, unable to fathom the idea that this is only the beginning of a long, more treacherous journey.
The workload at our school is indeed a handful. Seniors Tedi Beemer and Claire Callan say they devote about 15 to 20 hours to homework a week. Despite the pile of work, both of them recently took on challenges to move out of their comfort zones and do something other than schoolwork. Since freshmen year, Callan has been an instructor in a sailing program. Although she didn’t know anyone when she started, it turned out to be a positive experience for her.
Beemer helps out at a volunteer law program in downtown Orlando. She serves as a teen prosecutor, pushing to get the juveniles that are in the program a lesser sentence.
“I enjoy this program because I know that I’m making a difference in someone’s life,” Beemer said. “Law is really interesting, and I plan to study it in college as well.”
Beemer and Callan both agree that through these programs, they met some of their best friends.
“I knew no one. It was really intimidating,” Beemer said. “I was the new girl for five months, but now I am starting to become a regular.”
Even though the school workload takes up a lot of our time, it doesn’t mean we should just skip out on extracurriculars. Trinity provides us with many different programs that we can participate in such as drama, athletics, clubs and publications. The drama department is open to new actors or actresses who would like to take part in shows. In recent years, we have seen more seniors have stepped out of their comfort zones and participated in a play before they leave high school. If acting isn’t your thing, its never too late to take up a sport or join a new club.
“I was looking for a sport to do, and so I decided to do cross country,” freshman Olivia Demetriades said. “I really like it.”
She started running in seventh grade and is looking to continue being involved throughout high school.
Often, incoming high school students feel as if they have all the time in the world in terms of getting involved. They come into high school with a hope of a future full of community service and involvement in extracurricular activities. With this feeling of time hanging over them, they wait to get involved until later that year, or even in years to come, which many of them end up regretting.
“I started too late. I am a senior taking Photography I, when I should have been a sophomore taking it,” Callan said.
Aside from choosing the right extracurriculars, finding classes that interest you is also key to a fulfilling high school experience. Callan and Beemer both agree that in order to make the most of your high school experience, you should have a schedule that is appealing to you and your lifestyle.
Finding a harmony between your workload and activities is a challenging task, but once you find the balance, your time here will be more enjoyable by far.
