When I started my freshman year of high school, I didn’t fully understand how electives worked and was not sure what different classes I was able to take. Electives, in my opinion, should be explained in further detail to underclassmen in order for them to obtain the schedule that fits their needs and interests. I didn’t begin to take classes that I fully enjoyed until my junior year, when I signed up for Foods and Nutrition One. In my first couple of years of high school, I didn’t know how many different electives there actually were; some of the classes that I had never heard of before sounded interesting to me. For instance, I had never heard of Anthropology, but once I signed up, I was certain I had found a class that I genuinely enjoyed.

Many students choose electives solely for the fact that they are looking for a fun period rather than constant work, almost like a break in between math and science. “I chose a drawing class and it was in between Latin and Math. It really relieved the stress of the day,” said Cameron Tulley ‘16. Contradictorally, there are electives that are not easy A’s, but are still enjoyable if you are able to put in the extra effort.

Some electives are required in order to graduate, like a form of art class. There are others that are simply so popular that many people try to sign up. One of the electives most students enjoy is Film Studies, an elective I personally enjoyed. Another great and well-liked class is Fundamentals of Art. It is a creative class, even if you aren’t much of an artist. “Art is my favorite subject, so I’m glad I looked through all of the different electives,” said Ben Lombardi ‘16. Even though there are classes that are necessary for graduation, there are many additional electives that can help ease the difficulties that high school brings. It is important for every student to spend a little extra time when choosing their classes in order to pick the ones that suit them.