Back in School

Giving that I skipped over my junior year entirely, my work load for my senior year in high school is pretty significant. That does not mean that I am not delighted to be back into it! My classes are fascinating and get me thinking deeply or making connections to important concepts that teach me how to reason in ways that will be important for the role I wish to take in the world. My courses include: philosophy, AP psychology, environmental systems, AP statistics, French, and AP English language and composition. Every day is an exciting new dive into understanding, and I love it! I just wish the other students around me were as enthusiastic. We could get so much more done and go so much deeper into the wonderful clockwork of the world if only more people cared to know about it. But I know why the are like this...

There is something poisonous about high school, no matter how interesting the classes or comparatively kind the students. That hunched-shoulder, secretly self-conscious, stressed-out-and-over-pressured atmosphere that had gotten to me over my years spent in school left while in Switzerland. Although the difference does not show in my ID pictures, I came back from overseas feeling like I was five years more mature than even the seniors in my class, which are actually mostly older than me. At the same time, I had a lighter heart and felt more like a child. I could skip through the halls, smile at people I knew, and discussed world perspectives in class in a way even my teachers had trouble following. But even as my second week rolled around I was sleeping horribly with night-sweats and over-active thinking. I stopped eating like I would before and started worrying more about everything, including (and with reason) my health. I am friendly with everyone, but might do better to hide in my shell again because I am picking up on too much of what is happening in other lives. Even when taking a test I know that I can ace, I start getting stressed and worried to the point where I can't think strait because that is the atmosphere I am in.

What would I do without Universal High School?!? Love these guys!

I can hardly wait for university where the people I find around me will be passionate about learning in the way that I am. No, I can't wait! I am already doing tons of research into universities that interest me on an international level, and have visited several locally. I am even considering a gap year in the "Up With People" program. Any thoughts?