Triton senior Gunnar Gustafson, cool, calm, and collectively relaxes during class in loose sweatpants as he speaks to the triton voice about his times at triton.

“I tried to enjoy myself as much as I could, sometime it got the best of me, but I don’t regret it.”

Throughout high school, almost all students must learn to cope with the stresses and pressures of school. Many students have routines, and ways to complete all of their school work; for many, an outside job or other school commitments help keep them focused and engaged in a  busy schedule. When you factor in how much time sports, jobs, school work, and other activities take up, you realize you must manage your time efficiently or you will find yourself falling behind.

Triton voice asked multiple students how they survived the process of high school and exactly how they are currently doing so. We broke down the essentials of High School survival into five different categories.

ACADEMICS:

It takes good grades to get through high school. Some strive for A’s and some settle for C’s. There are various levels of classes that are offered throughout high school, from CP (College Prep), to Honors, to AP (Advanced Placement).

Senior Haley Morgan explains that “Triton is not that bad, if you just communicate with teachers. They will understand where you’re coming from”.

ATHLETICS:

Throughout high school, students will find that their lives become very routine, and some can say, repetitive. So for many, the thought of joining a team can be very appealing.

 The energy, and atmosphere of a team can really be a unique experience for someone who has never had a sense of passion about something.

Joining a sports team also keeps you athletically fit and helps you function at your highest potential throughout high school by providing a rigid schedule to build around.

EXTRACURRICULARS:

Similar to athletics, extracurriculars provides an atmosphere for teamwork and an opportunity to discover what you are truly passionate about.

Some people are involved in extracurriculars simply because it looks good on their college resume, while others are truly passionate about the group.

Triton offers numerous clubs from Community Service, to Student Council, to SADD and even a Men’s and Women’s Choir. “Joining clubs and getting involved helped me keep up with my work” explains senior Ross Lojek.

SOCIAL LIFE:

Aside from academics and being involved in your community throughout high school, everyone needs some time to relax and hang out with their friends. The best way to get through high school is to establish a friendship with as many people as possible.

“I got advice from upperclassmen, and I learned to separate what really matters from what doesn’t matter at all,” says senior Owen Heffernan. There are various ways to make friends, one example of this is to completely embarrass yourself as junior Wasif Shawman did:

“I have survived high school so far by embarrassing myself in every possible school event, Homecoming, Mr. THS, losing the rap battle, and many others.”

MINDSET:

Ultimately it comes down to how you view high school, and what you want to get out of it. Here are some more comments from upperclassmen on how to survive high school:

Cole Lojek: “Try to get enough sleep every night. Try to stay positive about school.”

Carly MacDonald: “I’ve conditioned myself to not stress about anything.”

Evan McParland: “I survived by doing things that I was required to do, sometimes half-assing projects here and there.”

Gunnar Gustafson: “Have a water on you at all times. Keep hydrated.”