by Marie Moeller ‘15

There is a common notion that school is a waste of time. For most, the entirety of one’s education is not so. However, it is the tedious hours spent in the classroom or at home studying that makes the journey towards our futures all the much more harder to bear.

Personally, in correspondence with practically every other high student I know, I believe that school can at times appear to be futile. Between six hours spent in “rigorous” classes, most of which contain material that is only necessary for upcoming tests, and a good five hours of homework given from practically all of my teachers, my remaining time is spent participating in after school activities—both outside of school and extracurricular.

If I plan on eating or sleeping in the midst of all my daily affairs, a social life is just out of the question. Of course, I still have my fair share of friends and inevitable drama, but being able to spend time with them outside of school is rarity. Even on weekends, which were once held as the glorified two days allotted specifically to maintaining the sanity of educated children, have become consumed by my answer to the dreaded question: grades or friends? For me, grades have always managed to prevail, despite the stressful repercussions of doing so.

Yet, one would think that once the dog days of summer come rolling along there would be plenty of opportunities to devote as much of it as I can with my friends. Nevertheless, the reality of the matter is that with two working parents and younger siblings, lounging around the house is one of the tasks that I am able to perform in my boredom. Every now and then, I am able to go to outings with friends, but in comparison to the school year, I am barely able to utilize my free time to gain any more of my social life back.

With this in mind, I have come to the conclusion that school is not the source of my troubles, I just make it that way. I am wasting my own time by cramming my schedule with various activities to the extent that at some point, I cannot possibly do anymore. Time is a matter of picking and choosing. The power of which is something that everyone possess. Deciding your priorities and making something worthwhile is up to you.