Separate School Schedules, Similar Souls

I’m sure we’ve all thought about it once or twice when we were kids. The idea of frightened, quaint freshmen and intimidating, mature seniors supported by the Disney Channel version of the distant relationships they might have. Well, sorry to ruin the illusion, but many freshmen and seniors are connected in some shape or form. They could be your friends, your family, or even just your peers. Maybe you saw each other once or twice at Cook Out after a game, or heard their screams on the other side of the football field at a pep rally. But it’s safe to say you’ve encountered one another at one point in time, no matter who you are or what crowd you run with. The real question is, how different are we truly? I made it my mission to find out with the help of my close friend, Rylee Vogel (Senior), who was kind enough to let me spend her precious time poring over our schedules to determine what is or is not connected, and how this impacts our dynamic.

To put this into perspective, Rylee and I have known each other for many years now. However, we have very rarely crossed paths outside of community theater and clubs. It is only recently that I realize exactly why that is. Other than the clear differences in personality and behavior, we have one very distinct thing that separates us entirely: our schedules.

First, let’s go over exactly what Rylee and I are doing throughout an average school day. Or rather, in my case, not doing. Let’s start with my schedule:

In the mornings, I have a staggered start with alarms spaced every five minutes between the time of 5:00 am to around 6:40 am. After sleeping through all of them, I rush to get ready and start my walk to school around 7:00 am along with my friend Alexa (9). From there on, I have classes until A-Lunch which runs from 10:45 am to 11:20 am. Then, I proceed with my last two classes until 2:15 p.m. Depending on the day, I may or may not have a club meeting to attend. The forensics club is run by Rylee herself, which has quickly become my favorite of the four I am currently involved in. Most club meetings end around 3:00 pm at the latest, and I drowsily begin my walk home shortly thereafter. Dinner is staggered; however, it usually occurs around 6:00-pm. Most of the remainder of the day is spent doing homework, relaxing, or hanging out with my friends until around 11:00 pm, when I go to bed. However, I'm usually not fully asleep until around 12:00 am.

Now, let’s take a look at an average day for Rylee as a senior to get a good idea of what is truly different about our daily life:

She has informed me that she usually wakes up between 6:10 and 6:15 am in order to get ready for school and leave her house at about 6:35 or 6:45. Unlike me, she is able to do so in her own car. I’m sure she’s very happy I’m not going to be on the road for at least another year. Rylee is then in class from 7:15 to 10:45 am. She then works out at noon unless she has a shift during that time which delays her workout until later that evening around 6:30 pm. Afterward, she eats lunch, relaxes, and does some school work. On Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, she has work at her job from 4:15 to 6:30 pm, which undoubtedly places an added weight of stress to her day. After a day full of responsibilities, she begins to get ready for bed at 9:00. She watches TV until she falls asleep around 10:00 pm.

That’s a whole lot of information to soak in at once, I know. But what does it all mean? What significance does this hold? Well, these similarities and differences are vital in discovering our own separate and unique daily accomplishments. As much as we may hate to admit it, freshmen generally have far less of a strict schedule, and certainly less pressure to fit activities and school related practices within such a small amount of time each day. In comparison, seniors are young adults who have almost been set free into the world. Yet, despite that, we hold many similarities too. We have to find ways to balance social and educational needs, adapt to shifts in our daily lives, and push ourselves every day to be the best people we can be. Both groups are experiencing great changes, despite the details being drastically different.

Freshmen and Seniors may have different schedules, sure, but we share the same motivations. We are all just students holding our own responsibilities and balancing different aspects of our lives. Just look at me and Rylee. Two entirely different people who have bonded over one small similarity despite the odds. And while it’s sad knowing that she will be going off to college in less than a year, I am happy to see what lies ahead of her and know she is always going to be someone I can look up to. Until then, however, I will continue to nag her whenever I have the chance. When asked for a quote, she left us all with some amazing advice. “Take any moment's opportunity before it's too late because you may miss out if you wait.”