It’s a new year, and that means more success, failure, and stress are coming your way.  On September 3, 2019, it was the first day of school for all CPS students.  Once again, students are back at it trying their best to succeed and survive, to pass their classes, and to eventually graduate.  So what better way to do that than to set goals for yourself? Ask yourself what you want to change this year and what you want to improve on.  What clubs do you want to join and what teams do you want to try out for? How can you change your study and work habits so this school year is more enjoyable?  

In the spirit of this new school year, I asked Whitney Young students, “What is one thing you want to accomplish this school year?”  

“I want to get into one of my top colleges,” stated Michael Marling, ‘20.  

For seniors, there is a lot going on; not only do these students need to do well in their classes, but they also need to score well on standardized exams, follow the attendance policy, and most importantly, apply to college.  College applications and admissions are able to single-handedly ruin a student’s first semester of senior year. The process includes tons of essays, personal questions, and rigorous competition against both peers and thousands of students across the nation.  Getting admission into a top choice college definitely seems like an overall goal for the whole senior class.

Looking at students from other classes, Gabriel Murillo, ‘22, noted, “I want to get more confident with talking to classmates and teachers.”

Often times, high school can be stressful, and it can lower your confidence.  Despite this, it’s important to maintain a positive mindset in both yourself and the school.  Getting out of your comfort zone and establishing relationships with teachers and classmates will help in the long run.  

Speaking the minds of probably the majority of the students at school, Sophie Steffen, ‘21, said, “I want to get good grades in all of my classes.”

Obtaining good grades in classes is probably the most common goal of all.  Most students believe that adult life is based off of college, college is based off of high school, and high school is based off of middle school.  This concept created the impression that good grades = success. 

While these good grades should be prioritized, it’s also important to make sure you’re not stressing too hard over them.  So over the next few weeks, think of what goals you’d like to create and accomplish. One goal could be to get involved with the school and it’s activities.  If you need any ideas, try the girls volleyball game against Lincoln Park in our very own gym on September 24, 2019.  Most importantly, remember to have fun and enjoy your high school experience.