High-school Life
By Nakoami Stallard
17 Apr 2008
From the school to the buses, my days in high-school have been packed with drama. Everywhere I turn, there is the he-said, she-said, oh-did-you-hear? Arguements break out for the silliest things. If someone thinks that someone else looks at them, a fight erupts. Relationships are constantly being shot down by hear-say.
In the classrooms, there is no longer note-passing. Now there is high-tech texting. Word gets around of embarassing details much faster than it did when we were in middle school. All the facts are exaggerated and taken out of proportion. Nobody just keeps to their own and minds their business anymore. Secrets soon become well-known facts if you do not guard them carefully. And for heaven's sake, do not be an unpopular girl and let anyone find out that you have a crush on a popular boy. By the end of the day, everyone knows and the poor girl will be ridiculed. Even if the guy happens to like the girl back, chances are that since his friends think she is weird, he will be too afraid to date her because it could cost him his popularity. If you are in a relationship, do not even look at the opposite sex. If you cut-up with buddies of the other gender, everyone in school decides that the two of you are more than friends. These people will be more than happy to share the information with your significant other.
Another prevailent issue in schools is racism. If a white person looks at a black person for more than a split-second, they are now racist. How does that make sense? It doesn't. The majority of these blacks do not care about keeping their grades up, their records clean, or even just being nice. Yes, there are some exceptions. Whites are also just as bad at my school, if not worse. The majority of the caucasians sees themselves as above hanging out with people of another race. This is why the blacks call just about any white-person racist, except the whites who dress and act like the blacks. In school, if you do not cause trouble, keep your mouth shut, keep good grades, have a good attendance record, follow rules, and try to keep confrontations to the minimum, you are 'uncool.' These uncool ones will be the ones to get the good scholarships and get into good colleges. The cool ones will more than likely drop out by their senior year to either be drug dealers, janitors, or flip burgers. That is no kind of life I want to be a part of.
Behavior in classrooms is atrocious. Even in the Honors classes, where the kids are supposed to be more mature and smart, the teacher is talked right over and completely ignored by the majority of the classroom. If a person is lucky enough to live in a place, like America, where an education is required, they should be thankful that they are getting one! Some people would die for the chance to have that spot in the classroom. And, Americans, realize that it is becoming harder and harder to get jobs without at least a high-school diploma. Most jobs other than McDonalds and Burger King require one. Even the military will not take anyone without a diploma. College degrees are also a good idea. No one should ever think that it is okay to goof off during these all-important high-school years and be 'cool' but have a low GPA or flunk classes. People need to realize that for most jobs that can support you, a college degree is actually needed. If they think they cannot afford college, they should look for scholarships. Almost anyone is eligible for one type of scholarship or another. People need to get their buttocks off the couch and away from the television and go look! Guidance counselors are more than happy to help high-schoolers out. Also, most towns have an agency that specializes in this sort of thing. High-schoolers need to grow up!
High-school life is full of drama. However, it is still possible to flourish and become a responsible young adult in this atmosphere. Just remember, teachers should be respected, the only business you need to worry about is what directly concerns you, being cool is overrated, and, most importantly, keep your future in mind with your every action. I know teachers sometimes lecture or are irritating, but, suck it up and deal with it. Parents, nine times out of ten, just want what's best for you. If everyone else's beeswax becomes a part of your hive, your hive becomes unstable and you endanger yourself. Thinking of the now, well, it may work out in the meantime, but what you do now affects your entire life. I've said my piece, now, I just hope the world listens.
