BY: CLAIRE KIM
Honestly, at one point in our lives, we probably said the words, “I don’t like school”.
I think it’s natural because as students we have so much to fulfill in such a short amount of time. We have homework, projects, exams, and also extracurricular activities we have to deal with. The amount of stress and exhaustion it takes to overcome all of this is a struggle we all have to face during our junior high to high school years. We constantly have to think about who we want to be, what we want to do, and how we can get there. The pressure we receive from ourselves, our parents, and others make the school look like a shadow in our life.
It’s sad to say but our lives are basically dictated on what colleges we go to and our scores through national tests. Whoever does better has a better future and those who don’t have to suffer quietly. It’s a rough world we live in and I think this idea makes school ten times more stressful than it already is.
I have read multiple stories of students who have just graduated high school and are looking towards their future with hopes and despair. It was very interesting to see the different perspectives they had in their life. One mentioned that they wanted to be rich and not poor which in a way I kind of get. Another stated that they wanted to take a different path than others and became a marine corps. I think that’s really amazing. Regardless of her parent’s wishes, she decided on her own and that’s something I hope I can achieve. One story that really impacted me was about a girl who moved from Mexico with the American dream. However, due to financial problems, she was unable to afford the expenses of college which she could have fulfilled back in Mexico. It does hurt to hear such an unfortunate event happen. College is not something that can easily be completed, and tuition expenses is a really big factor.
I think because I’m entering high school this coming fall, I have more anxiety and eagerness about my plans for the future. Just like these high school graduates have said, college is expensive and their future sometimes looks bleak at certain angles. I hope that by the time I’m in their shoes, I can find the moon in the dark sky that will take me to the next stage in my life.
claire kim. 