The Question No One Asks
Photo Source: Emma Breen
October 10, 2021
High school has always been discussed as something that is preparing us for the future; but what happens when you ask students how they truly feel about how well their primary education prepared them for their lives after they are handed their diploma?
Most students, when asked, would say that school is something that is a burden on their lives, and is pointless past the end of middle school. Many students believe school is a lot of busywork, and a lot of the work assigned serves no benefits to them.
When asked if they felt the workload they have is appropriate, Olivia Nardone responded as follows, “As a senior taking rigorous classes, I would say the workload is appropriate; however, I do not believe I will need half of the substance being taught in classes in my future.”
Senior Jillian Sheehy responded similarly, “I think it’s appropriate for the classes I am taking. I think the work is relevant, but there should be updated classes with real-world situations going on right now.”
Future Plans
To get a more well-rounded answer to the question at hand, I asked these people what their plans were after high school hoping to get a little more clarity on if, and how high school was preparing them for their future plans.
Some students strive to have a very spontaneous and adventurous post-high school experience. “College, I guess, and traveling-I really hate the idea of working a 9-5 desk job,” says junior Sydney Pichette when asked what her plan is post-graduation. The idea of a desk job is something that our generation seems to be almost fearful of. The thought of being chained to a desk all day, five days a week, for basically our entire lives is terrifying.
There are also students, like Jillian Sheehy, who know exactly where they want to start their life. Sheehy knows she wants to attend college in NYC or Boston is the goal, “I personally thrive in urban environments,” says Sheehy. With a few exceptions, college is the main goal students work towards throughout their adolescence.
On the other hand, some students want a very stable life after high school, and are pretty set on what they want to do with their lives. “After high school, I plan on going to a 4-year college somewhere close so I am near family. I hope to study something relating to the medical field, closer to MRI imaging and radiological technology.” Olivia Nardone has a very solid grasp of her future plans.
Preparedness for the Real World
When asked what they thought about high school was going to stick the most, all of them gave almost identical answers:
“I think what will stick is what has impacted me the most: my friends. They have really shown me what it means to be truly happy, and I will forever be grateful for them. I will also always remember what it is like to come to a new school, know absolutely nobody, and attempt to make friends. My teachers who have helped and influenced me greatly will always stick in my mind as well,” replies senior Olivia Nardone.
“Sports, friends, school events. Maybe good teachers, books that I’ve read,” says junior Sydney Pichette.
Similarly, senior Jillian Sheehy says, “definitely the bonds I’ve made with people and how to handle person to person relationships.”
The relationships and physical interactions are what everyone predicted were going to stay with them. Curriculum and workload were not mentioned at all, but does that mean the value of what’s being taught is unimportant?
Olivia Nardone thinks she “can apply the lessons I have learned from English because I will be writing a lot of essays and professional emails in the future. For the most part, I will only be taking away life lessons.”
According to Sydney Pichette, it all depends on what career path she goes into. As stated earlier, she hopes to enter a career with a lot of travel and she has a passion for the environment so that factors in as well. She believes that some of what she is learning in her classes can apply to her future career especially when it comes to art classes. Sydney is extremely passionate about art and has quite a knack for it. The techniques and skills she is absorbing in the classroom will surely apply to a career in art if she so chooses to pursue one.
Wrapping Up
So at the end of the day, is high school preparing students for their futures? It is a very open-ended and relative question. People have different views and opinions on this question but it all depends on what exactly they plan to do with their lives. High school may be super relevant for a student who plans to become an educator, but completely irrelevant for someone planning on going into a career in the performing arts. It is completely case by case. I ask you to reflect upon your own future plans and ask yourself, are you truly ever ready?
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Chris Tineo • Oct 27, 2021 at 6:31 pm
This article was very well organized and enjoyable to read since I can relate to the topic that is being discussed. It has long been a question whether high school is a necessity for life or not, here’s how I see it. I feel like the curriculum itself is important to a certain extent varying from class to class, but I think that the real value that one is supposed to take away from high school is all the life lessons and little things we’ve learned as we moved through the system. I agree that some of the work was tasked with will be next to useless 10 years down the line, but my ability to make friends and start new relationships, for example, is something that I’ll never let go of. I think that we take some of the things learned in hs for granted and overall Id conclude that the high school curriculum for the most part will not help me in the future, however the small basic human life skills I aqquired will definitly benifit me for years to come.
Will Pessina • Oct 25, 2021 at 10:42 am
This article really made me question how much high school helps prepare us for the future. I have never really thought of the question so it’s interesting to hear other students’ stances on the subject. Personally, I agree with Sydney Pichette. I think taking certain classes that you are interested in pursuing will prove beneficial in the future. For the majority of us, we don’t know what we want to do in the future. I think taking many classes is expaning our options and helping us discover what we want to do with our lives.
Bridget Stark • Oct 22, 2021 at 10:39 am
I definitely agree that the school system is a bit outdated because nowadays people want jobs that require more hands on work. The system prepares students for a desk job and I agree with Sydney, a job that i don’t want. Throughout our school careers we learn so much useless information that we are required to retain, which only the 1% will actually use. I liked reading this because i completely agree with it.
Lily Friend • Oct 15, 2021 at 9:34 am
This is definitely an interesting question to think about. I think a lot of people don’t believe high school is preparing them for the rest of their lives, but I would disagree. We learn important life skills like teamwork, social skills, work ethic, and more. While the curriculum may not be 100% relevant to whichever field we go into after graduation, I do believe that it’s helpful to have a wide range of knowledge. This will help us understand things we hear on the news, other people’s professions, and more. By studying a variety of subjects in high school, we also obtain choices of what to do in the future.
sydney trout • Oct 15, 2021 at 9:32 am
This is such a well-written article Emma! As a freshman, I don’t know much about high school as a junior or senior would, but what you pointed out really brought out the question: “Are we really ready for our future?”. Great job!
Daniel Harriman • Oct 14, 2021 at 1:54 pm
This article was very well written and generally enjoyable. However, I cannot help but to mention that the purpose of Pentucket is not to prepare people for the real world, but rather to prepare them for college, as opposed to a trade school which would prepare you for the real world, a fact that is oft glossed over in discussions of the preparation for the real world Pentucket may or may not provide. That being said this is a superb article and provides many insight into the minds of many Pentucket students.
Owen Motherway • Oct 14, 2021 at 1:41 pm
On one hand, I believe that school does a great job of preparing students for the basics of college and life after high school. On the other hand, however, I believe that students looking into a specific career path, for example the performing arts, cannot rely entirely on school to prepare them for such a career path. Performing arts, in particular, is something that requires personal dedication and in order to be successful requires one to use their own time.
Daniel Harriman • Oct 14, 2021 at 11:47 am
Well written and overall enjoyable read. Speaking personally, Pentucket is not supposed to prepare you for the real world, it is supposed to prepare you for college, if one wanted to be prepared for the real world they should have gone to a trade school such as Whittier.
Dillon Metcalf • Oct 11, 2021 at 4:33 pm
The question no one asks is a question that plagues a lot of high schoolers. While it is certainly a case-by-case basis as you claimed, I tend to find the greater picture fairly easily. The material is not the issue here, through rigorous classes and subjects, we learn skills and habits that will help us succeed in the real world. That is my opinion, and I totally see where this is coming from and I think it brings up a great point about what education should be and its impact on teens’ futures.
alyssa thompson • Oct 10, 2021 at 9:03 pm
This is a really well written article. It’s such a great topic that is not discussed enough. Thanks for sharing, Emma!