The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

Exploring your interests

As senior year comes to a close and my peers and I succumb to senioritis, I have had more time to reflect upon my experience at Glenbrook North. One thing that has preoccupied me for the past few months was an innocent question that an incoming freshman asked me in January: “What would you do differently if you could go through high school again?”

At first I didn’t know the answer. Would I have stayed out later? Tried harder on my tests? But then it came to me: as an incoming freshman I had so many plans for classes that I wanted to take in high school, and now, four years later, I have accomplished so few of them.

Although there are many mandatory classes we have to take, we are lucky to go to a school that gives us the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of classes. Most of the time we fill these extra blocks with other things we must take to graduate: one fine art, one applied art, etc. After these necessities are filled we tend to take as many SRTs and study halls as possible – or resort to taking whatever class our friends are taking.

Unfortunately, I fell victim to choosing my classes based on what my friends said I would like. I will admit that this sometimes benefited me — without peer suggestions I wouldn’t be on Torch — but the majority of the time it was a hindrance. Despite thoroughly enjoying art classes in elementary school, and even the mandatory Art Studio class I took as a freshman, I was led to believe that art was a waste of time.

I understand now that art isn’t for everybody, but as a vulnerable freshman just trying to fit in, I followed suit with what others said and filled my empty blocks with academics. It wasn’t until my final year of high school that I took another art class: Photography 101.

Taking my photography class led me to realize how much I missed the visual arts. I started sketching more and developing my in-class doodles into complete works of art. Although I don’t plan to pursue art as a career anymore, I often wonder if this could have been different.

I know this has been said many times before, but GBN really has so much to offer. Even though you may know this, have you ever really thought about it? Taken advantage of it? I now find myself on the precipice of college with no clear idea of what I want to major in or do for the rest of my life. I wish I had taken the time at GBN to explore my options and discover what interests me most.