For me, summer is going to be over in about 5 days and I have another school year to face. Right now, as I’m reading up on the latest New York Times articles about sexism in the Clinton coverage for my upcoming Linguistics class, I’m starting to yearn for those lazy summer days where I could spend hours just basking in the sun.
This transition period from summer to work mode, however, I find is more bearable when I have interesting classes to look forward to. And during the summer when I’m thinking about the past classes I’ve really enjoyed taking, I actually miss school. Seriously. What I don’t miss are those 9 am classes…but that’s another subject.
Right now, I still have some issues I need to tweak with my current schedule. In particular, I have to deal with fulfilling all those pesky breadth requirements. But these “restrictions” are often blessing in disguise, as they force you to explore topics outside of your comfort zone. If you’re lucky like me, you might take a class that you will later become madly passionate about.
In the high school context, these classes can also serve as buffers to your more intensive academic classes. Wouldn’t it be nice to relax with a pen and paper sketching that flower in the corner of the room after you just attacked a 3-hour AP U.S. History final?
So when you’re faced with choosing those classes…think about what you would LIKE to learn to do. It doesn’t mean that you have to have any experience in it at all. Actually that’s the best part about these classes that the high school offers—they provide intro classes and other levels. So if you had childhood dreams of becoming a dancer, what’s stopping you from taking that intro ballet course? The best part is that you’re pretty much multi-tasking, by fulfilling requirements and just trying something new. And really, enjoy your time in the class. You don’t have to worry so much about homework and grades. So this is a chance for you to just learn a new skill.
Those graduation and breadth requirements don’t seem so bad after all.
Born and raised in Europe, Clarissa is an avid volunteer and self-professed foodie and film aficionado who recently finished her first year at UC Berkeley and plans to double major in Economics and Film Studies.