Exploring the Inevitable
As a freshman in high school, I had a clear-cut idea of everything to happen in the future. I would max out all my AP Science credits at school, get 5s on those exams, be president of 5 clubs, and end with a 4.0 GPA — all so that I could get into an Ivy League.
As a senior, I don’t think any of that is true. And I’ve come to realize a couple of things. I grew up with the mindset that I was going to go into a STEM-related field, so I never gave myself the option of gaining exposure to other aspects of my life.
When my counselor met with me the other day to talk about how many more credits I need before I can graduate, I learned that I maxed out all my English classes. Not science. For science, if I truly wanted to complete all the classes possible, I would take AP Environmental Science, but honestly…if I’m not even interested in it, why would I?
Instead, I signed up for German 1 and Intro to World Lit after 1700 as a dual credit student at a local university. I think I’ve never felt happier.
Freshman to senior year, I never let myself slip up with my coursework- only taking the classes necessary for college. Now, it’s my last chance, and I’ve decided to make everything count.
So, if you’re starting high school, here’s some advice from someone who’s experienced almost all of it, but more importantly, someone who has realized that her interests must be balanced between the STEM and humanities.
Force yourself to advance in other fields of interest
While I did manage to take almost every single AP Science in high school, I also managed to take almost every single AP History and AP English. Crazy? Yes. Worth it? Also, yes. Notice how I didn’t say I didn’t max out in every math class…that’s because I absolutely and most utterly despise math. So, let me preface everything by saying, don’t take every single AP class ever because colleges will like it.
Sure, that may have been my reasoning going into college, but honestly? After I took AP Human Geography freshman year and AP Seminar my sophomore year, I fell in love with the beauty of sociology and writing. Now, I am in AP Government and Politics, and I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a social studies class more.
If I had never had a prior exposure to social sciences starting my freshman year, I don’t think I would’ve ended up where I am today. It is the same for AP Seminar. I took English 1, decided to challenge myself a bit more, and in my junior year, I managed to double up on my English courses because I wanted to take both classes that interested me.
I don’t regret it.
I’d imagine that if I were to take things solely for the sake of college, one of two things would happen: a) I would end with a B or lower in all those colleges, or b) I would not be as happy as I am right now with my schedule.
I know for a fact that unless I actually enjoy something, I am never going to succeed in it. So no matter how easy the class, I will struggle (Exhibit A: my performance in precalculus my sophomore year).
If you are just now gaining exposure to such a large variety of courses, you must take advantage of it. As a senior going into college, I don’t even have the slightest idea of what courses I want to take next year. I will fill in my gen-eds, but before I explore what major I’m going into, I want to explore other fields — just so I know that I know what I want to do.
As a freshman, you should do the same. Never let the idea of college scare you away from that idea!
Also, most schools have an add/drop time period. If you find yourself struggling in a class, just drop it — no hard feelings. It might best help you if you were to gain a better overview of what it was about in the beginning, such as over the summer. If this is what worries you the most, I say go for it, and if things don’t go as planned, put it off until you think you’re ready.
Even if none of your friends are doing something, do it anyway
Would it be crazy to say that I didn’t know any people in my freshman year classes? No. Would it be crazy to say that I didn’t know anyone in my senior year classes? Yes.
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As a dual credit student, my schedule is very limited. So in the four classes I take in high school, I…have no friends in my classes. In the beginning, I was insanely depressed because it was my last year and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it with those whom I cherished most.
Yet, I came to accept that I shouldn’t mind this too much. I still see my friends after classes, but more importantly, whoever’s with me shouldn’t determine what classes I take. I am taking classes that I genuinely enjoy for once in my life, and I should make that count the most.
It is the same for my university classes. Yet, if I’m being honest with you? German is probably my favorite class so far this year. I think I’ve driven my family and friends crazy with how many times I sang the German alphabet.
Extroverted or introverted, one day, you’ll go off to college, and you won’t know anyone. What’s wrong with making friends now? It’s not like you’re going to be in a class all by yourself with no one around you except the teacher. There will always be other people!
So mingle and keep yourself busy. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet people that you never would’ve thought you’d meet in high school. Maybe you’ll meet people who share your interests better than anyone else you know at the moment. It is exactly this kind of exposure that wouldn’t hurt to gain early on. You’ll know more of what to expect later on, when you go off to college, when you start your first job, when you go to new parties — you name it.
So immerse yourself, build up some courage, and network. Because in the long run, it is this soft skill that you’ll learn that will help you the most.
Don’t let anyone tell you against something because of colleges
I vividly remember telling my parents that I wanted to pursue a law route in high school because it was something new, and I thought I would be really interested in it. We had gotten into a huge argument about how science is the future, and I should invest all my time and being into it instead.
Nevertheless, I signed up for speech and debate and also attended a policy conference and Constitution-related camp. To this day, I do not know if law is a career path that I want to continue exploring — in college, I will definitely take an introductory course.
But what I do know, is that speech and debate is my passion and it something I pride msyelf in. It is one of the two clubs that I have devoted almost all my free time towards, and I do not regret it.
This year, I am writing my Oratory speech on the concept of “third places” — Speech is my third place.
And no, this post isn’t going to somehow tie into how speech and debate is the glory of my life, but I do find it very ironic that as a biology major, my favorite extracurricular is Speech. My parents and the people who surrounded me were very skeptical when I joined speech and debate. I remember them finally accepting it when I said it would help me gain public speaking skills for science fair (a STEM extracurricular that I ended up being miserable at).
Yet, I don’t think there would ever be me without speech. While it doesn’t necessarily tie into my biology major, it is something that defines me. And I’m okay with that.
You never know what colleges do or don’t “like” — especially when it relates to your own major. So, you must learn to not think with that mindset and give everything a place in your own heart. You cannot do everything to please the college admissions officers.
You are your own person.
And while this all may seem like a convoluted rant, I promise that it holds some value for who you are as a person. If there is anything you shouldn’t do in your senior year of high school, it’s regretting everything that you did do.
At the end of the day, not everything is for college. But everything is for you. As inspiring as it may seem, you are the author of your own story, so make it count.
Identity is definitely something I struggled with finding as I went through my years of high school. But, now, that I believe I’m finally discovering more and more of who I am, it’s peaceful in a way. Chaotic yes, but also serene.
I hope the same for you.
