When you think of high school, what do you think of? Maybe you think of High School Musical, where everyone likes everyone, and you break out into song anytime something good happens, or maybe you’re a bit more realistic. Sophomore Bailey Schmelzer-Grenko sees high school more realistically, where the focus of school is just that school.
What might set Bailey apart, though, with her realistic vision of school, is the welcomed rigorous aspect of school. She likes to be challenged by her academics. In fact, the goal she sets for herself is to have a 4.2 GPA. In order to help achieve this, her friend circle is relatively small, which allows her not to worry about the drama that sometimes weighs heavily on a high school experience.
Bailey opts in to taking AP classes and wants an academic challenge. Bailey goes to school for school; to learn. She knows that she has always been able to learn quickly, but tries to stay humble by challenging herself when things are too easy.
Being moved up grade levels in academics and keeping all A’s year-round.
Bailey loads up her schedule with classes over being in activities, and when asked why, she thinks it is important for students to be active and try in school.
Bailey stated, “I believe school is important for people to actually try in it because it’s the foundation of every person’s future.”
For Bailey she owns the idea that no matter what someone wants to do in life, they’re going to need basic schooling.
“You can’t just wing it in life,” says Bailey.
However, at the same time, she also respects that different types of career paths may not need all the same classes as others. What ultimately matters in her opinion is the effort that you put into actually learn and finding success in that class.
“I do think it’s important to try your best; no teacher is going to judge you if you genuinely try in their class. Of course, they’ll be skeptical if you barely try and then you’re failing, but if you put in the effort, your school should accommodate that,” says Bailey.
Bailey finds a lot of her identity in prioritizing school and not extracurricular activities, which is often common in high school.
She mentioned that she tried to take grade-level and easier classes in 7th grade to try to do activities. While that try was short-lived, lasting only two days, she realized she was much more fulfilled in rigorous classes over an extra outside of class activity.
“ I like classes, I don’t like activities,” says Bailey
“It’s a rare thing nowadays for people to actually come to school and enjoy it,” said Bailey when she observes many of her peers.
Surveys say that around only 60% of students come to school and actually make an effort to learn throughout the day.
While most others mess around for just giving no effort to obtain the information presented to them, Bailey, on the other hand, finds these people annoying.
She states, “Like the kids who sleep the whole time, or just make fun of the teacher like just get out.”
Having students in the classroom who are just there to make others “laugh” or distract them can become quite annoying, especially if you’re there to try to learn. Bailey is the type of student to tell these people to “be quiet” or “pay attention.”
Moreso when asking Bailey about herself and asking how she manages her time to not get “burnout” and be the kid sleeping in class. She said, “I mainly try to make sure I have 2 days out of the week where I don’t do homework. I mainly try to finish homework in Muskie Time or during classes so I’m not busy.”
Bailey’s goal is not to have to do homework on weekends. Whenever she does have homework to do at home, though, she tries to spread it out. For example, she will do 20 minutes of homework/one paper of homework at a time, and in between, she takes breaks to help refresh her mind.
“I try to keep my mind solely on school while I’m at school and try not to stress too much, otherwise I’ll never get my work done,” she said.
Overall, Bailey is a focused student, and being challenged academically is a priority.
