All views shared in the Opinions section of the Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
As I ruffle through loose papers in my backpack, I pull out a stack that marks the success I have been waiting for since seventh grade. Five stapled packets that will each take me on a unique journey outside of the classroom- a journey more commonly known as a field trip.
Yes, with five field trip forms in hand, I feel more accomplished than ever before.
In seventh grade, after realizing that field trips were no longer collective for grade levels like they were in elementary school, going on field trips became a marker of success in my mind, because I could only go on them by being involved in important clubs, classes and extracurriculars.
So going on field trips became my hidden goal, a goal I worked towards inadvertently at times, and one that I eventually achieved.
I realize that setting field trips as markers of success may not be common, but every student at WHHS has some goal in mind that marks their success.
From the Effie still trying to fathom what WHHS has to offer to the junior worried it is too late to get involved, all WHHS students are in the process of formulating their path to success–whether it be through music, poetry, engineering, leadership, theater, sports, trivia or so much more.
However, it is almost impossible to do this alone. That is why I have decided to write this column- to share the experiences of myself and other WHHS students who have achieved their unique, individual definitions of success–in an effort to help those stuck at the crossroads, unsure of what classes, clubs and extracurriculars will contribute to their own success.
I am someone who knows the struggle of being a student striving for success, especially when you do not have alumni parents or older siblings to advise you.
My experience with the American education system began in 2016 at seven years old in the second grade, when my family moved to the United States. We had previously settled in Iraqi Kurdistan for three years and in Britain for the three years of my life before that.
The educational system in Kurdistan, where my parents were born and raised, is entirely based on a student’s exam scores in 12th grade, and nothing else. As a result, before coming to WHHS, my definition of “success” was perfect scores and being at the top of my class.
However, this began to shift as I met new people, slowly in junior high and significantly throughout my high school years. I began to realize that the students I perceived as successful were not necessarily smarter than the others, but they did more. They were in more clubs, they were student leaders, they received awards, and most importantly–to my seventh grade mind–they went on field trips.
So I began to explore to find out what would help me achieve success by my own definition. Luckily, I was already taking Beginning Strings and Newswriting 1, two prerequisite courses that prepared me to pursue the two classes I am the most committed to today, Orchestra and News Production.
I soon joined the Muslim Student Association and the Poetry Slam Team, and as of late, I have joined the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Future Business Leaders of America and have become a Student Ambassador.
Each of the activities I participate in were suggested to me by others, and I would not have achieved my success had I not discovered these opportunities. However, every student is not lucky enough to find the clubs and activities they will succeed in naturally.
That is why I want to step in and create a forum where the experiences of students who have achieved success can aid those who step into WHHS unaware of how to define their own paths.
I will cover the different clubs, classes and extracurriculars that alumni and current upperclassmen deem as the most essential for a different career path each column.
If you want to share your experiences to guide others or ask questions about what you need help with, fill out this form.