Tag: friends

A Modern Day Trojan Spirit

As stressful as high school might be, there are also many fun parts of it. One of the best parts is the togetherness of the students during school-wide events. Our school has a couple of big events throughout the school year, one of which is the Battle of the Classes. Battle of the Classes is a high-energy, annual school competition where our grade levels compete in multiple games, hallway decorating, spirit days, and more to increase school spirit. 

As soon as it was announced that BOTC would be in a couple of weeks, you could feel the energy level go up. At first, I thought that it was just some random thing to get students to have more fun at school, but I did not realize how big a deal it was. We started prepping as soon as possible: choreographing the dances, brainstorming hallway decorations, and practicing for games. Everyone was all in. 

The day of, there was palpable excitement in the air. The teachers weren’t teaching as much, almost as if they could feel how distracted we were by the prospect of what was going to happen that night. We had practiced the dances and games for weeks. We were participating in the spirit days. Everyone showed up in their colors, and the hallways looked completely different from a normal day. Instead of people just walking to class and thinking about homework, everyone was talking about BOTC, hyping each other up, and getting ready for the competition.

When the actual event started, the energy was on a completely different level. The gym was loud, filled with cheering, music, and people chanting for their grade. Even people who usually don’t participate in school events were involved, cheering and getting excited over every small win. It felt less like a competition and more like everyone was just enjoying the moment together. There were so many moments where our grade would get close to winning something, and everyone would stand up at the same time, yelling and reacting together.

What stood out to me the most was how different everything felt compared to a normal school day. Usually, everyone sticks to their own groups, focused on classes, assignments, and everything they have to do. But during BOTC, it felt like those boundaries kind of disappeared. People were talking to others they normally wouldn’t, supporting each other, and just having fun without worrying about grades or stress for a while.

It made me realize that high school isn’t just about academics and pressure. Moments like these remind you that there is another side to it. The one where people come together, support each other, and create memories that you don’t really expect. Events like BOTC show how important it is to actually get involved, because those are the moments that make high school feel a little more fun and a lot more memorable.

A Thread in the Tapestry

I remember one day that started like any other. I walked into the quad and sat at the table with my friends, people chattering as usual all around us. We started talking as we usually do, about school and our teachers. 

I have no idea who brought it up or how the topic switched, but we ended up talking about how hard it was to be in high school and stay up to the expectations that everyone set. My friends were talking about the unspoken expectations we have just because we are part of this one program, and how the teachers just expect us to “grow up” as soon as we step into high school. 

We eventually transitioned into how much everyone expects so much out of our grades, and how peers sort of rank us based on our grades. We talked about how unfair that is because grades are not the only thing that determines how “good” you are at anything. It is a reflection of how you are doing in academics. I remember one of my friends said something along the lines of  “Sure, grades may reflect your academic skill in a subject, but they have no way of showing how much effort you put into it. Sometimes you might work your hardest on something, but it just isn’t what the teacher expects, so she gives you a bad grade. And then everyone’s judging you for that bad grade without knowing how much effort you put into it.” 

That thought of hers resonated with me so much when I realized how true it is. Sometimes you just have a bad day, and even though you put a ton of effort into it, you may not get the result you wanted. But what matters most is that you know the amount of effort you put into it. You might do better next time, or you might not, but that does not take away from the work you put in. At the end of the day, grades only capture the final result, not the hours spent studying, the frustration of trying to understand something difficult, or the determination to keep going even when it feels impossible. Listening to her say that made me realize how often we let a number define how we feel about ourselves, even though it only tells a small part of the story. What really matters is the effort, persistence, and willingness to keep trying, even when the outcome is not what you hoped for.

This random day that started like any other turned into one of my most memorable memories because I had the experience of bonding with my friends while also talking about deeper topics rather than our usual random rants. It made me realize that sometimes the most meaningful memories come from the most ordinary days, when you least expect them. Moments like these remind me how important it is to slow down and appreciate the people around you, because those small conversations and shared experiences are often what stay with you the longest.

Weaving Threads

Pressure is created as soon as you step into high school. As soon as you step in, it feels as if all the teachers suddenly expect you to turn into a young adult, prepared for everything, and knowing exactly where you are going. While some teachers are understanding, there is always this underlying expectation. Constant repetition of the same speech, “Every decision matters. You are expected to be a young adult now,” may make the decision seem heavier than it is. 

High school is a pivotal time in your life where every choice you make plays towards your future. You have so many options and do not know what to take. It may seem overwhelming. For me, until I got into high school, all of our classes were predetermined except for our electives, and we did not have many choices. Even for freshman year, most of our classes were predetermined. As we start planning for our sophomore year, our teachers keep telling us about the options, and all of them say the same thing. The classes you take in high school affect your future. This might be very overwhelming at times. How do you plan everything out, think of every possible angle, multiple years in advance, sometimes not even knowing what you want to do with your future?

It is important to take note, however, that these choices are important, but not everything. If you look in terms of classes and college, from what I have heard, colleges look at more of how much you challenged yourself*, what impact you are making, whether you can handle rigorous work, and your interests. Certain classes will prepare you for college-level rigor, and taking these earlier might prepare you better. But also, the right classes keep doors open, not close them completely. 

In my opinion (and from what I have heard), the more flexible you are, the better it is for you, especially if you do not have everything figured out. Take the classes that interest you, not necessarily take classes related to the major you want to get into (though you should do that too). That is what I am planning to do this year. Personally, I am interested in the medical field, but I also want to learn how to code, so I am planning to take Computer Science as my elective for next year. If you take classes that interest you, colleges will see it*, and you will do better, making these difficult choices seem easier. 

It is also important to remove the overwhelming part of this. One “wrong” class won’t mess up everything for you, taking into account that there is no such thing as a wrong class. Think of this as weaving threads, not cutting off paths completely. 

So how do you plan multiple years in advance? From this, I have learned that it is okay not to have everything figured out. It is more important to explore pathways and use this time to figure out what you want to do. Planning is important, but flexibility matters more. High school is there to figure out who you are, and not lock anything in forever. You plan the best you can right now, and allow yourself to grow and change

*Disclaimer: Everything written here is based on my own experiences and opinions, not absolute facts.

The Labors of Finals Week

This year, a new experience for me was finals week, where you get tested on all the material from the first semester in all of your classes. At first, it felt really overwhelming, navigating how to study for seven classes while also doing the homework they assigned. I struggled with figuring out how to divide my time between classes and trying to determine which classes needed the most attention. It felt exhausting a lot of the time, but when everything was over, I felt really accomplished that I had gotten through my first semester and my first finals week. 

One thing I enjoyed about finals was how students came together to study and support each other. There were many impromptu sessions during finals week where we explained concepts to each other and quizzed each other. It felt really nice to both aid others with the material and receive help when I was confused. These study sessions made finals week less stressful and helped me keep in mind that I was not the only one in this. 

One challenge was the amount of work each teacher gave us during the week of and the week before finals. They recognized out loud that we have seven classes to study for and we had numerous projects to work on, yet they continued assigning work so they could finish their own curriculum. This created a heavy workload for the students, and many of us were not able to balance studying for the finals with the projects everyone assigned. I believe students would do much better on finals if teachers took into consideration the amount of work they assigned and the number of classes each student had to study for. 

Another challenge was sitting through each of the tests for two hours. It was difficult, at least for me, in some classes to sit through the same format of tests over and over again for two hours straight. In my opinion, it helped a lot if the teachers had different styles and formats of questions on their tests because it kept my brain engaged, as it continued changing as the test progressed.

Starting to study three weeks before the final was extremely beneficial, even though I could have started before. Studying with my friends and asking my teachers about the final also helped immensely. 

When I started studying, I was taken aback by the sheer amount of material we were supposed to study. I split the content into chunks and planned out what I would study each day, where I would take notes, and how I would review the notes. Due to this, I was able to finish reviewing the material properly by the day of the final. Additionally, if I did not understand something, I would consult one of my friends, and we would make a fun study session out of it. This allowed us to continue learning while also staying engaged and having fun. Asking my teachers questions about the finals themselves was also really beneficial because a lot of my teachers did not tell us the details of the final until I asked them. This allowed me to focus on what to study for and to be mentally prepared for the type of test I was going to be taking. 

Overall, this was a very beneficial experience, and it has helped me understand how I am going to approach finals in the future. I learned how to study efficiently and effectively, and now I feel more confident going into finals week. 

The Hearth of Friendship

The journey of high school can be an extremely stressful one, making it very important to have people around you to relieve that stress. People you can rely on, talk to, and joke with. The pressure of high school will weed out those true friends who will stick with you through anything. These friends provide emotional support, help you grow, and enrich your daily life with fun and joyful moments.

My friends are my anchors that keep me steady, no matter how rough the storm gets. More than just a support system, they fulfill the fundamental human need to belong, providing a safe space where I am accepted. They help me feel like I belong and are always ready to help me whenever I need it. I remember feeling on the verge of tears after a harsh comment from a teacher. Just as I was about to cry, my friends surrounded me, pulling me into a collective embrace. It was an unspoken understanding, like they instinctively knew a hug was the only comfort I needed in that exact moment. This single act made me reaffirm why I love my friends so much. It doesn’t matter that we get into silly arguments, because they are always there for me when I need them. 

Another thing that I really appreciate about my friends is that they never hesitate to offer their opinion. They are always ready to provide new perspectives without worrying about what others might think, and they challenge me to become a better and more confident person without even realizing it. Moments like these make me think about how friendships affect us beyond just the emotional side, and how these small interactions actually impact me. Strong friendships make a real difference in your mental health. The simple act of connecting with friends can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, which helps calm the stress response and improve mood. This support system provides essential emotional needs like a sense of belonging and purpose, and encourages better lifestyle habits, whether that be regular exercise or avoiding risky behaviors. I’ve felt this in my own life — being around them genuinely makes me feel calmer and happier.

Lastly, good friends are experts at making your day better with just a sentence. Whether it’s getting mad at the person you currently dislike, cracking a joke because you are sad about something, or just a simple “How are you?” True friends can always make your day more enjoyable by just being there for you, whenever you need them. From the outside, these interactions may seem small, but good friends recognize that these tiny acts of kindness and presence often mean the most when you are having a bad day.

In general, having trusted friends, whether that be in high school or your everyday life, can help you in so many ways. Companions like these will never let you feel down for too long or let you have a bad day on your own. They will support you, help you grow, and at the same time fill your life with a bunch of fun and joyful moments. If you want to start being a good person in life, start by being a good friend. I am glad I found mine.

The Synoikia Gathering: The Unity of Homecoming Week

Before I start with this post, I apologize for not being able to post for the past month. It has been a busy month for me with numerous tests, festivals, and activities. But for today, I would like to write about the high school community, especially around homecoming. 

Since it was my first year of high school, I didn’t know what to expect during the week of homecoming, though I knew it was going to be a huge thing; but nothing really prepared me for how the whole school revolved around it and its activities.

Float Parade

The first activity that started was float building. From a month or two before homecoming, the floats for each grade started getting constructed. Floats were displayed on the roads in a parade, which we actually got to walk in! Each year, there is a theme for homecoming, and this year it was mobile games. So, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), we got Among Us since we were the youngest class. Our class had to create a float with this theme. One side would be painted, while the other side would be made up of paper flowers and moving components. 

The day before the parade, we mounted the floats onto trucks that would drive the parade route. Due to the parade, the police had to stop and redirect traffic to make sure that we were safe while walking the roads. In total, the parade was around 2.5 – 3 miles. We walked past two elementary schools that were even more excited than us about the parade. Even though my legs were really tired by the end of it, I could not have asked for a better experience.

Spirit Week Energy

The school schedule was also changed because of the parade. School started at 10 that day as opposed to the usual 8:45. And because they did not want the teachers the day before to get extra time to teach us, school had also started late the day before! It was really crazy to see how the school community revolved around the activities of this week. Also, because our teachers knew we would be busy, they refrained from assigning us too much homework, which I found really surprising. My usual convention of teachers is that they give the most homework on the busiest weeks for the students, so I was pleasantly surprised when we got minimal homework for a week.

During this time, the kids in school were also so pepped up and fun to talk to. Usually, when walking in the hallways, everyone is busy talking to their friends or they are walking idly, thinking about homework, but for this week, I actually had so many interactions with so many people. Since it was spirit week, we were all dressed up for the day, and people were appreciating each other’s outfits while passing. It was the most school spirit I had ever seen!

The Dance (and Football Game)

And then there was the dance. Everyone put in so much effort to get ready for this three-hour dance. The food was really good, since it also doubled as a club fundraiser. They were playing great music, and the vibes were overall very nice. My favorite part was getting ready for the dance and the football game the night before. The dance itself wasn’t that exciting (that might just be my opinion, though). My favorite part was actually the football game, which came the night before. The whole school was up and stomping their feet and cheering when we went to the fourth quarter and eventually overtime, when seconds before, everyone was completely silent and bored. Even the seniors present were saying that this was the most excited they had seen our school for any game. At the end, we won by a point because the other team missed the field goal. 

My Takeaways

Overall, HOCO week was a great experience with the parade, football game, and dance. I will definitely do this again next year and try to be even more involved in the whole homecoming experience, whether it be float building or participating in more spirit days. The most important thing I learned from this is that it is essential to cherish these fun moments in your high school career and be as involved as you can, so you don’t regret it later. Homecoming showed me how fun high school can be if you are involved, so next year, I am definitely helping with the float from day one.