While there are plenty of teenagers who may not fully enjoy it, I truly believe students should learn to appreciate their years in high school while they have them. There are not many other places in the world that provide as many unique opportunities as what you can find in high school. From sports, to band, to theatre, to culinary practices, foreign language, academics and everything else in between, high school is a truly special place that should not be taken for granted.
My personal experience with high school has been different. With the dawn of COVID-19 in 2020, my introduction to high school was massively different from people in recent generations who came before me and, hopefully, long after me. Now, looking back, I truly regret that this had to be the way I was brought into Gibson Southern. In my senior year, I have grown to realize there is so much more to this all than simply school and homework.
High school has allowed me to develop one of my passions that, before enrollment, I was unaware I even had. Before I was at Gibson Southern, I never really “fit” anywhere. However, signing up to take Theatre Arts in my first semester of freshman year ended up giving me both a passion for the arts and a place to be with friends both in and out of school. It gave me a reason.
Joining the Gibson Southern Theatre Department has, by and large, helped shape me into who I am today. It has taught me responsibility for both myself and others, how to work with large groups of people and allowed me to break out of my shell.
All of this growth and experience, while it is still very much possible in other places, is nowhere near as accessible anywhere else as it is in high school. Many clubs and activities are as simple as an application away, if even that. Though the bulk of my high school experience was in theatre, there are so many other opportunities afforded to students.
I am friends with many people who have had similar experiences to me in other areas of the school. Through sports, many have gotten the chance to learn and grow with teammates in ways that have brought them closer and allowed them to work better as a team. This is a quality these students will be able to carry with them and use for the rest of their lives.
High school has also allowed me to grow closer with so many of my friends. Between seeing them during the school day, at school activities afterward and other related events, high school has truly allowed me to be more comfortable with people I have known for a long time and those I only just met.
Of course, the schooling itself is invaluable. By giving students the necessary knowledge, teachers are able to set their students up for success in the future. I feel as though this is something that is not nearly appreciated as much as it should be. Not only do teachers provide students with knowledge, but there are also other valuable lessons that students will carry with them.
Overall, your time in high school should be a valued, cherished experience. It is unlikely that you will get to enjoy such a tight knit community in many other places, which should not be taken for granted.
