Page 98 - CBA 2000 YEARBOOK

H ighSCHOOL . . H igh STRESS
The words ninth grade are synonomous with the word change. The transition to high school brings new freedoms and new stresses. Not only are the courses and workload harder, but this is the year that grades really do matter. It is not until ninth grade that averages are put on your transcript, you know, that permanent record of your class averages and regents scores. Now, school, if it was not al­ ready, becomes serious.
Thisyearalsobringsmanyfreedoms,soughtaftersincejuniorhigh. Firstof all, ninth graders get a study hall. To aid in all the aforementioned stressors, the ninth grade schedule holds a treasure. A period to catch up on homework. This
privilege, only outdone by free peri­ ods during eleventh and twelfth grade, is cherished by students be­ cause it is a time to relax. Unless you have homework to do, you can sit back, relax, and turn your brain off for forty minutes. You don’t have to take notes, listen to a teacher, or rackyourbrainforanswers. Butbe­ ware, these highly-valued periods
only come twice a cycle.
Fun activities are definitely a plus to entering high school. High school dances, clubs, and other activities offer good times with friends, long-lasting memories, and unforgettable antics. These new fun things more than make up for the added stress of freshmen year. It’s worth being at the end of the totem pole again if these
are the benefits that come with it. 94 * underclassmen