Month: December 2023

Something that I frequently think about is how much of senior year I’m actually going to remember when I’m 40. 

This whole semester, I’ve had this overwhelming fear that I’m not actually doing everything I’m meant to do. I’ve been scared that I’m too hung up on the past; that I take school too seriously, and that my actions are far too insignificant. I fear change. 

But when it comes down to it, I’m pretty confident that I’ll view this semester in a relatively positive light. Despite the fact that I say my life is overly bleak now, there have still been some positive changes, including these AP Lit blogs. 

Taking the time to reflect on my life, even if I’m just brainstorming ideas, has allowed me to confront my values and my fears. 

Looking back on the blogs that I produced, I’m not sure I can state a singular favorite. In fact, I noticed that I started to enjoy writing them more and more as the semester progressed. Each one has its strengths and its weaknesses, from being too rambly to being engaging. Upon reflection, I noticed that a lot of them are lists, which wasn’t entirely intentional, but honestly, it makes sense (I like lists). CRAZY-ART-PERSON-STUFF and Can I Borrow a Pencil? are probably the strongest contenders for being my favorite, because I was talking about a topic that really intrigues me, but it also brought me some joy to reflect on the classes I’ve taken in high school in So Like, Do I Take It? 

I can, however, say with confidence that my peers are really creative. Throughout this semester, I have found myself cruising through blogs in my free time, or when I’m in need of some inspiration. There are some topics that I find absolutely ridiculous, but there are also a lot that shock me with their imagination. Sometimes, I wish that I had come up with those ideas first. 

Writing these blogs has also taught me that maybe I don’t absolutely hate writing. I’ve always struggled to get my thoughts on paper, which is why I initially started journaling a few years ago, but these blogs have made it easier for me to write. It has definitely become easier and I think I’ve developed a pretty strong style. Actually, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to let go of writing blogs at the end of the year, and this might have to be something that feeds into my future. 

But other than these blogs, some good lessons I’ve learned?

I was nominated as an Illinois DECA State Officer. This is something that I never would have imagined I could achieve, and has probably been the best change that has happened. Working with this team has taught me so much about discipline, responsibility, and professionalism. Even though I don’t think I plan on going into business, working in a business environment has brought me a sense of order and peace. And also, I gained 4 new friends. 

I went to a Scholastic Bowl tournament. Science Olympiad had a meet the same day Scholastic Bowl was competing, and I guess they really didn’t have anyone else to ask, because somehow I got dragged into this. Still, even though it was just a day’s worth of work, I learned a lot. My complaining was mellowed out by my newfound knowledge of Russian poets, Zach Bryan, sickle cell anemia, and the fact that apparently Adi thinks the Declaration of Independence was signed in NINETEEN-76. I think this was also the most I’ve used my brain in a single day. 

 

And finally, I’ve learned that I don’t necessarily need to have tons of friends. One of my biggest fears going into this school year was that I was losing a majority of my friends and support system (to college), but somehow I’ve managed to stay afloat. I still stand by the fact that those people who told me I’d find “replacements” for my friends are wrong, but they were right about the fact that the world doesn’t end just because people leave. They were also right about the fact that I still have Nichole, who is more than anyone can ask for. Ultimately, when I reflect back on this semester, it’s going to be Nichole that I share my memories with, and I am so utterly grateful for that. 

Part of me actually looks forward to next semester. Even though I’m impatiently waiting to leave Naperville North, I know that there will still be unforgettable memories, feelings, and experiences to come—and I hope to continue to share these memories through my blogs. 

I wouldn’t consider myself to be a heavy overthinker, but there are a few things that I think about frequently, including the classes I’ve taken throughout high school—and what I could have done differently. I don’t think I have any big regrets, and I’m glad things worked out the way they did, but there were definitely a few classes here and there that I’m not sure much was gained from.

As first semester begins to come to a close, I’ve started getting questions from underclassmen about potential classes that they can take in the future. In an attempt to help them, I’ve been reflecting on my experience a little more. In general, I’ve been pretty happy with my education all four years, but there is still a divide between classes that I would encourage others to take and classes that are just…okay. So, here are some classes I loved, classes I wish I took, and things I wish I did differently:

 

AP Calculus BC
Starting off strong, Calc BC. While this might have been the biggest adjustment I’ve ever had to make to my studying habits, I honestly think it was worth it.

There are a few notable things about BC that have shaped my high school experience, including (but not limited to):
1.) Teaching me about consistency. There is homework nearly every day, and it’s almost always the same: 8-10 questions from the textbook.
2.) Forcing me to actually study. I don’t think I could have passed this class without putting in conscious effort to study before exams. As someone who usually studies for tests the day before, this class taught me the importance of either making a LOT of time the night before to study, or actively putting effort into studying a few days in advance.
3.) Making sure I actually use my resources. Mrs. Moore is one of the best resources you can have as a BC student, because she’s practically glued to her email. When I realized that I could just put my pride aside and email her my questions, my life got a lot easier. Suddenly, I didn’t have to waste an hour and a half of my life on one question that I didn’t understand, and could get the help I needed within an hour of sending an email.

A picture of my BC homework (ft a wrinkle in the corner from erasing too hard) →

 

To anyone questioning whether or not they should take BC, I’d probably say yes, although I understand not wanting to take it. It was really stressful, and I would not have done so well if I didn’t have the support system that I did. But truly, this class probably single-handedly changed my life.

 

 

Honors Biology/AP Biology
I noticed that this year, an odd amount of sophomores are in AP Biology. As in, more than ever before, which really got me thinking. I honestly believe that Honors Biology had more merit than AP, although I heard they changed the curriculum recently.

Absolutely no hate to any teachers, but Honors Biology just taught me more than AP Biology has. I feel like the class was more structured and there were more resources, while AP Biology kind of relies on your ability to self-learn. The class also feels oddly specific and there are some things that the AP curriculum expects you to know that I just don’t find useful. However, as someone who hopes to major in biology, both of these classes were worth taking.

Even if I was allowed to take AP Biology my sophomore year, I don’t think I would have done it. A lot of the knowledge I have of biology actually comes from the stuff I remembered in Honors, not AP. But I don’t regret taking AP Biology either, because not only do I find the information interesting, but I’ve heard horror stories about AP Chemistry.

 

Art Classes
One of the best decisions I made for myself was taking at least one fun class each semester. Most of these classes were art classes, since that’s what I enjoy. However, I started off high school with Drawing 1 and Painting 2, which was kind of a bizarre experience. I tried to skip Drawing 1 (I’ve been taking art classes my whole life), but it didn’t work out so well. It ended up being fine, because my assignments were kind of easy and it was really chill, but I still wish I was placed in a more challenging class. For second semester, I managed to convince them to let me take Painting 2 instead of Painting 1, which was a much better experience. Last year, I was in AP Studio Art, which was quite the experience, but totally worth it. It was more work than I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the work that I was producing and it was a good destressing class.

I think the biggest lessons to be learned here are to take classes that you genuinely enjoy, and try to fight your counselor to put you in the correct level.

 

 

Blended?
The first blended class I ever took was Blended Humanities 1, first semester sophomore year.

It was magic.

Whenever people ask me if they should take a class blended or not, I will (almost) always say blended. Unless you know you’re awful at completing homework, blended is the way to go. It gives you enough freedom to relax, take a break from school, and piddle around, but it also

gives you enough structure to actually learn. I feel like taking blended classes was one of the best decisions I ever made. Personally, I enjoy getting the work done the night before, so during my actual blended period, I’m free to do whatever I want.

← why do work at school when you can do work at Panera?

 

 

 

Taking Classes Over The Summer
I’ve never been a fan of history or economics, so I took both of those classes over the summer. The same summer.

Was it awful? Kind of. But was it worth it? I think so.

I feel like if you’re taking US History, it’s more worth it toget it over with over the summer rather than dedicating an entire year to it during school. In my opinion, it’s better to take a fun class during the school year to balance out your workload. And if you’re taking APUSH, you’re a psychopath (kidding).

I will say, if you’re a big fan of history, you probably shouldn’t take it over the summer. But for me, it was worth doing just so I could get that graduation requirement. I feel similar about Consumer Economics, although occasionally I find myself regretting not taking AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, because I feel like economics is probably something we’ll need to know for the future.

 

Last But Not Least, Classes I Wish I Took
I don’t really know much about a lot of these classes, but looking through the course catalog, these are the ones that I wish I knew about sooner:
– American Sign Language
– Advanced Chemistry and/or Biotechnology
– Business INCubator
– Sculpture
– Interior Design
– AP Art History
And here are a few classes I wish NNHS offered:
– Architecture
– Cake Decorating
– Cosmetology
– Emergency Preparedness/Survival
– Yearbook (BRING IT BACK PLEASE)
– DECA (this is a JOKE) (but some schools do offer it)