From AP Microeconomics to Honors Visual Art, the amount of classes offered seems endless. If you don’t pay attention, you might be choosing the wrong classes for the wrong reasons. We can’t avoid the next school year jumping at us with full force, but we can prepare for the battle it may bring.

Every year, students underestimate the intensity of certain classes they pick. “[Students] tend to feel pressured to take any AP class just for the GPA boost, even if it isn’t their strongest subject,” said senior Angie Griffe. Griffe is taking 4 AP classes this year and is loaded with other clubs as well, but she still views this year as an easy one.
“Do not look at your friends taking 7 AP classes and try to do the same, unless you can manage time, work hard, and sacrifice a little,” she cautioned.

Still, the competitive side of White Station pushes many students to an uncomfortable border of anxiety. Many forget that colleges pay less attention to how many AP classes you take and rather to how you evolve as a student. Colleges look for students who stick with programs and emerge as leaders.

“A lot of people want to ‘one-up’ their friends and try to take more difficult classes just to say they took them,” said junior Andre Buggs. It’s important for students to realize they aren’t invincible, and they can’t do everything.

The top priority should always be graduation requirements. Make sure you have all of your required classes out of the way before you move on to bigger and brighter things.

Another aspect to keep in mind is passion. Look at your strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate yourself in a realistic way. For instance, if you hate science, AP Biology may not be the best choice – even if all of your friends are taking it.

Judge your school life and your outside-of-school activities accordingly. Don’t forget you’re going to need time to eat and sleep. No one wants to be busy with hours of school work instead of going to prom.

So when it comes time to pick classes, take a deep breath, remind yourself of your strengths and interests, and start checking.