What is the most frustrating thing about being a high school student?
100+ Answers
I haven't got on Quora in awhile and I'm happy that this will be my comeback answer of sorts.
1.
This point has been mentioned many times throughout these answers, but I'd like to restate it again. We learn things for the sake of getting it right on a test. We do not learn the significance, we learn the facts. For example, last week, when I was sitting in my Pre-Ap Geometry Class:
*Learning proofs*
"Ms.____, why are we learning proofs, when do we use this in the real world?"
"Tony, you're learning this to pass the semester exam. It'll be put to use later in the unit."
Look, my math teacher is a really nice woman, but even she has lost the reason behind learning what she teaches. When it came time for later in the unit, I learn that proofs prove why a shape is congruent to another. But why am I learning this again? To see if pieces of ink lines on my worksheet are congruent? How do I apply this to the real-world? I'm sure there's some actual application of this in the real world, but I've never learned it.
*The only exception to this would be in my Humanities class, where I've always been lucky enough to have a teacher passionate about his/her subject to explain the significance of something.
2.
I mention this point in Tony Nguyen's answer to Youth: What is it like to be a young person (10 to 18 years old) now?. There's always this pressure to exceed the best. Enroll in that AP class even if it means giving up your favorite hobby. Study hard in the wee hours of the night to ace that test. Challenge yourself, challenge yourself, challenge yourself. That pressure to get those good grades is always someone in your head. Which leads me to my next point.
3.
It's not enjoyable to be in most of my classes. Everybody's seen those movies where the opening scene is a guy who hate his job drudging through the daily grind (American Beauty (1999 movie) comes to mind), well, that's school. Every week day I wake myself up from amazing dreams I am thankful to have, only to realize it's still a week day. I'll sit there, blinking, body sore, sleepy, and just think "Wow, it would really be amazing to sleep right now." Then I eat, get ready, and run for the bus. I'll talk to my friends, and then go to my classes. Most of the time, I'll blindly take notes without having enough time to actually digest the information. I'll sit there, staring at the board/projector screen and soak like a sponge in the information being thrown at me. Then we'll do some worksheets (busywork). Eat lunch (cheese sticks and frozen mangoes?) then proceed through the last four periods.
My only salvation comes during Humanities, my last period, which is where I genuinely enjoy learning. The two teachers in that class have great chemistry, are very knowledgeable on their respective subjects, and actually take the time to explain why we are learning this/what the significance is rather than just pile on the facts in the quickest way possible. It may not be my easiest class, but I definitely love being in there.
And I know what some may be thinking "Well Tony, that's your fault for staying up late and being sleepy." True. But the point is that I hate being awake for that reason. If I was sleepy and about to go learn about something I actually enjoy, I'd be happy to be awake. "Well Tony, that's your fault for not taking the time to learn rather than just copying answers blindly." It is my fault, and most if not all my classmates faults too. Cheating is so rampant that it's unusual not to be copying someone's homework from last night now. It's not like the teachers care, you're boosting the GPA of the district by "doing" it. Most kids understand that even though they have no interest in these subjects, they must pass because "somewhere down the road" this information will be useful. Maybe someone who has graduated college can answer me this, has it?
4.
The people. Don't get me wrong, I've met some really cool people during my first semester of high school, and I've had great times with them. The close-minded ones, the ignorant ones, the ones who blindly restate "official-looking facts" to anyone who listens (I had a kid today trying to convince me that the world will blackout for three days starting Friday--straight-faced). I've seen countless reposts on Instagram stating that love starts exactly at 4 months, otherwise it's just liking someone (based on the "psychological studies" no less). Some of the most reckless, promiscuous, most rude people at my school claim to be living "for God". I have no problem with what they do, in fact, I'll encourage them to be themselves, but repping Jesus and making fun of the awkward studious girl in class are two different things. But I guess all of these things are to be expected when you pack thousands of pubescent teenagers from different backgrounds into one building.
5.
I've said this so many times in my answers, but this system is outdated. The job market is changing. The way we get knowledge is changing. Just last month I was forced to memorize all of Europe's countries and their capitals. I ended up failing that test with a 52. Right in my pocket was an Android App called World Map that could have brought up all of those countries in two seconds, including their physical features. Now, I would have no problem with memorizing these countries and their capitals...if not for the fact that even the girl who got straight 100s in that class fails to remember those countries two months later.
I am still appalled at how they don't teach software programming yet. In a world that obsesses over the next amazing game, app, or phone, in a world where Bill Gates is the 2nd richest man in the world, in a world where Steve Jobs has become a cultural icon, we would rather teach keyboarding and pottery art before software programming. We are not kids being prepared for a factory job anymore, we are a generation of start-ups and small businesses, a generation that is not getting the nurturing it deserves.
6.
I don't think I'm going to college. Rather, I don't think I'll afford college. I don't want to take on student loans, a debt I've heard is terrible to get rid of. My parents do not make much. We are not poor by any means, but if I go to college I will more than likely have to pay my tuition with a bit of help from my folks. With that in mind, I honestly don't know what all this learning is for if it's only to take an SAT which will lead to me getting an acceptance letter from a college which I couldn't even afford. I don't want that student loan burden. In a perfect world, I want to backpack across America after high school, maybe fly over to Chile and visit the Patagonia...I've heard it's beautiful.
I think I covered most of the things that irk me as a high school student.
The most frustrating thing about high school? That I still have 7 semesters of it left.
*Edit:
Wow, we're getting close to 200 upvotes here. I honestly did not think this answer would take off like it did, so I'd like to clear up some things.
I don't hate school. This question specifically asked for my frustrations, and I listed them. If their was a separate question that asked for my praises about the current education system in America, I'd gladly answer it. I've met most of my friends from school, who I've had unforgettable experiences with. I've learned a lot, and, through the gifted program in my city, developed some pretty good critical thinking skills. I've had the opportunity to learn how to "work" the system as some have stated in the comments. I've been lucky to have at least one teacher every year who I loved, someone who was passionate about their subject (these teachers are usually English teachers).
Thanks to everybody who gave me great advice in the comments! I'll definitely put some of it to use.
1.
This point has been mentioned many times throughout these answers, but I'd like to restate it again. We learn things for the sake of getting it right on a test. We do not learn the significance, we learn the facts. For example, last week, when I was sitting in my Pre-Ap Geometry Class:
*Learning proofs*
"Ms.____, why are we learning proofs, when do we use this in the real world?"
"Tony, you're learning this to pass the semester exam. It'll be put to use later in the unit."
Look, my math teacher is a really nice woman, but even she has lost the reason behind learning what she teaches. When it came time for later in the unit, I learn that proofs prove why a shape is congruent to another. But why am I learning this again? To see if pieces of ink lines on my worksheet are congruent? How do I apply this to the real-world? I'm sure there's some actual application of this in the real world, but I've never learned it.
*The only exception to this would be in my Humanities class, where I've always been lucky enough to have a teacher passionate about his/her subject to explain the significance of something.
2.
I mention this point in Tony Nguyen's answer to Youth: What is it like to be a young person (10 to 18 years old) now?. There's always this pressure to exceed the best. Enroll in that AP class even if it means giving up your favorite hobby. Study hard in the wee hours of the night to ace that test. Challenge yourself, challenge yourself, challenge yourself. That pressure to get those good grades is always someone in your head. Which leads me to my next point.
3.
It's not enjoyable to be in most of my classes. Everybody's seen those movies where the opening scene is a guy who hate his job drudging through the daily grind (American Beauty (1999 movie) comes to mind), well, that's school. Every week day I wake myself up from amazing dreams I am thankful to have, only to realize it's still a week day. I'll sit there, blinking, body sore, sleepy, and just think "Wow, it would really be amazing to sleep right now." Then I eat, get ready, and run for the bus. I'll talk to my friends, and then go to my classes. Most of the time, I'll blindly take notes without having enough time to actually digest the information. I'll sit there, staring at the board/projector screen and soak like a sponge in the information being thrown at me. Then we'll do some worksheets (busywork). Eat lunch (cheese sticks and frozen mangoes?) then proceed through the last four periods.
My only salvation comes during Humanities, my last period, which is where I genuinely enjoy learning. The two teachers in that class have great chemistry, are very knowledgeable on their respective subjects, and actually take the time to explain why we are learning this/what the significance is rather than just pile on the facts in the quickest way possible. It may not be my easiest class, but I definitely love being in there.
And I know what some may be thinking "Well Tony, that's your fault for staying up late and being sleepy." True. But the point is that I hate being awake for that reason. If I was sleepy and about to go learn about something I actually enjoy, I'd be happy to be awake. "Well Tony, that's your fault for not taking the time to learn rather than just copying answers blindly." It is my fault, and most if not all my classmates faults too. Cheating is so rampant that it's unusual not to be copying someone's homework from last night now. It's not like the teachers care, you're boosting the GPA of the district by "doing" it. Most kids understand that even though they have no interest in these subjects, they must pass because "somewhere down the road" this information will be useful. Maybe someone who has graduated college can answer me this, has it?
4.
The people. Don't get me wrong, I've met some really cool people during my first semester of high school, and I've had great times with them. The close-minded ones, the ignorant ones, the ones who blindly restate "official-looking facts" to anyone who listens (I had a kid today trying to convince me that the world will blackout for three days starting Friday--straight-faced). I've seen countless reposts on Instagram stating that love starts exactly at 4 months, otherwise it's just liking someone (based on the "psychological studies" no less). Some of the most reckless, promiscuous, most rude people at my school claim to be living "for God". I have no problem with what they do, in fact, I'll encourage them to be themselves, but repping Jesus and making fun of the awkward studious girl in class are two different things. But I guess all of these things are to be expected when you pack thousands of pubescent teenagers from different backgrounds into one building.
5.
I've said this so many times in my answers, but this system is outdated. The job market is changing. The way we get knowledge is changing. Just last month I was forced to memorize all of Europe's countries and their capitals. I ended up failing that test with a 52. Right in my pocket was an Android App called World Map that could have brought up all of those countries in two seconds, including their physical features. Now, I would have no problem with memorizing these countries and their capitals...if not for the fact that even the girl who got straight 100s in that class fails to remember those countries two months later.
I am still appalled at how they don't teach software programming yet. In a world that obsesses over the next amazing game, app, or phone, in a world where Bill Gates is the 2nd richest man in the world, in a world where Steve Jobs has become a cultural icon, we would rather teach keyboarding and pottery art before software programming. We are not kids being prepared for a factory job anymore, we are a generation of start-ups and small businesses, a generation that is not getting the nurturing it deserves.
6.
I don't think I'm going to college. Rather, I don't think I'll afford college. I don't want to take on student loans, a debt I've heard is terrible to get rid of. My parents do not make much. We are not poor by any means, but if I go to college I will more than likely have to pay my tuition with a bit of help from my folks. With that in mind, I honestly don't know what all this learning is for if it's only to take an SAT which will lead to me getting an acceptance letter from a college which I couldn't even afford. I don't want that student loan burden. In a perfect world, I want to backpack across America after high school, maybe fly over to Chile and visit the Patagonia...I've heard it's beautiful.
I think I covered most of the things that irk me as a high school student.
The most frustrating thing about high school? That I still have 7 semesters of it left.
*Edit:
Wow, we're getting close to 200 upvotes here. I honestly did not think this answer would take off like it did, so I'd like to clear up some things.
I don't hate school. This question specifically asked for my frustrations, and I listed them. If their was a separate question that asked for my praises about the current education system in America, I'd gladly answer it. I've met most of my friends from school, who I've had unforgettable experiences with. I've learned a lot, and, through the gifted program in my city, developed some pretty good critical thinking skills. I've had the opportunity to learn how to "work" the system as some have stated in the comments. I've been lucky to have at least one teacher every year who I loved, someone who was passionate about their subject (these teachers are usually English teachers).
Thanks to everybody who gave me great advice in the comments! I'll definitely put some of it to use.
- It's unnecessary (who came up with the idea that primary education lasts for 12 years, anyways?). I dropped out of high school 2 years early to go to an early entrance program at the University of Washington with 34 other students. And you know what? Very few of them felt that they were academically missing out on anything from high school. The strongest concerns students have about early entrance were (a) social life and (b) not being able to apply for top universities. I think entering college 2-4 years early should be an option for a significant fraction (~5%) of HS students, as many of us agree that we aren't even that academically exceptional.
- It's an extremely artificial environment that constrains your imagination of what's possible in the world. High school socializes you to do well in high school, but it doesn't prepare you well for the real world afterwards, where you realize that creating value for other people really is the most important thing, rather than signalling that you're the smartest/most desirable person in the room. There are so many college graduates who feel completely lost in their life not knowing what to do (and deep in debt), and I think if they had the opportunity to take a gap year (or two) just to unschool themselves and to talk to a diverse range of other people, then they would gain a lot of knowledge about what's possible, and the things that work for them and those that don't. This would, in turn, help them make better decisions about their future while they're still young.
See Danielle Fong's Bio for an example of the amazing things you can do by dropping out early.
Or as Paul Graham eloquently says (What You'll Wish You'd Known )..
If I were back in high school and someone asked about my plans, I'd say that my first priority was to learn what the options were. You don't need to be in a rush to choose your life's work. What you need to do is discover what you like. You have to work on stuff you like if you want to be good at what you do
- While many people justify high school as being useful for socialization, spending 90% of your day in classes isn't exactly the best way to socialize with other students. And at the end of the day, it becomes harder when students have loads of homework and extracurriculars.
- It confines friendships to a small group of arbitrary students of similar age in a narrow geographical region. It makes it harder for you to form friendships with students who go to different schools.
- College admissions. Once you hit 11th grade, your peers become obsessive about it. It's a source of immense stress for everyone. Is all that stress really necessary? See Daniella Maydan's answer to What is the most frustrating thing about being a high school student?
- It takes time out of play, and from exploring experiences that help you experience the most personal growth (see What are the best ways for a teenager to spend his/her time?). More and more, developmental psychology is showing the beneficial effects of play. See Eva Glasrud's answer to If you were a 17-year-old out of high school, what would you do with your life? and Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework (also see The Overprotected Kid, though it's not as much about education)
You can't do what you want.
Initially, this may not seem like a downside. A lot of teenagers want to do really stupid things, like sit at home and smoke pot instead of going to school. If some kids could do whatever they wanted, that's exactly what they'd do.
Mature high schoolers don't even have basic independence. If the class is in the middle of working on homework individually, students still have to raise their hand and get permission to the bathroom. (At my school, you're only supposed to go during the first or last five minutes. What the heck? Am I supposed to wet myself because I need to go ten minutes before class ends, not five?)
Students can't even study what they want to. My school tries to pass a levy every single year and it fails repeatedly. What happens when levies fail? The school cuts classes. They never cut the regular or intermediate classes, no, they head straight for the AP ones. All the kids who wanted to study AP Chemistry this year? Too late! The AP Physics and Calc DYAD? Bye, bye. There isn't enough money to go around, and our education suffers for it.
Beyond not being able to afford higher-level classes, certain subjects just aren't offered, primarily for the same reason. Japanese? Nope. Chinese? Nope. I couldn't even take Computer Science when I wanted to. The nontraditional way of taking these classes is cumbersome and sometimes impossible. I've tried to do things like credit flexibility (online classes, testing out of certain ones) and college classes. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.
As a high schooler, you don't get the basic independence you would as an adult. You can't even control your education. Yes, you can learn these things on your own, but oftentimes doing so is more difficult than just learning at school.
Initially, this may not seem like a downside. A lot of teenagers want to do really stupid things, like sit at home and smoke pot instead of going to school. If some kids could do whatever they wanted, that's exactly what they'd do.
Mature high schoolers don't even have basic independence. If the class is in the middle of working on homework individually, students still have to raise their hand and get permission to the bathroom. (At my school, you're only supposed to go during the first or last five minutes. What the heck? Am I supposed to wet myself because I need to go ten minutes before class ends, not five?)
Students can't even study what they want to. My school tries to pass a levy every single year and it fails repeatedly. What happens when levies fail? The school cuts classes. They never cut the regular or intermediate classes, no, they head straight for the AP ones. All the kids who wanted to study AP Chemistry this year? Too late! The AP Physics and Calc DYAD? Bye, bye. There isn't enough money to go around, and our education suffers for it.
Beyond not being able to afford higher-level classes, certain subjects just aren't offered, primarily for the same reason. Japanese? Nope. Chinese? Nope. I couldn't even take Computer Science when I wanted to. The nontraditional way of taking these classes is cumbersome and sometimes impossible. I've tried to do things like credit flexibility (online classes, testing out of certain ones) and college classes. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.
As a high schooler, you don't get the basic independence you would as an adult. You can't even control your education. Yes, you can learn these things on your own, but oftentimes doing so is more difficult than just learning at school.
Not being able to enjoy learning because of the guillotine of grades hanging over your head.
Grades can be motivating, but I find that they can have some really negative effects:
Anyways, those are a few reasons why I think grades can be a frustrating part of high school. It can be a struggle to keep that original motivation. That original drive. That original awe of the world around you and your drive to do something awesome.
Grades can be motivating, but I find that they can have some really negative effects:
- I love the learning process. I love making connections, discovering new concepts, and seeing myself mature as a scholar and a person. But grades cheapen this pleasure. It can sometimes feel as if I'm doing something not for my own improvement or enjoyment, but for another's approval. Are we prostituting our time just for a check and a yellow sticker next to our names?
- They cause people to focus on something unimportant. I've known people who ignore their teacher's comments on how they could improve, skipping right to the letter or number. That's right–sometimes I see my classmates get back a paper with tons of comments scribbled in the margins, and jump to the last page just to see the grade at the bottom. What does this say about the institution of grades that people value them over meaningful, helpful feedback?
- Grades can be an arbitrary, useless tool. Some teachers vow never go give out an "A." Some almost exclusively give out "A"s. What meaning can grades have in these circumstances?
- Grades create a constant, reflexive pressure to compare yourself to others. It becomes less of how you can improve on something, what you can learn from it, and how you've been changed by the process, and more about "how did I do compared to them?" "Where do I stand in the grade?"
- Related to the previous point, they create intense competition between people. At some schools, competition is so fierce students won't study together, help each other, explain things to each other. That's not the way the real world works. Our world is now more than ever a world of collaboration, of unification. The last thing we need is to instill in our children is a visceral aversion towards helping one another.
- They create stress. Yes, even if colleges didn't pay attention to your GPA, and you didn't have irrational fears about whether your low grade in Algebra would condemn you to stir-fry cookery, or whether your parents would yell at you because of a poor progress report, grades create stress. I've heard so many stories of people who physically become affected before they receive a paper, how they freeze up, turn cold, have intense splitting migraines, all because of a mark on a page.
- Grades contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. Sometimes grades cause people to spend more time indoors, avoid exercise, pull all nighters, etc. Kids suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses will just feel further beaten down as their bad grades make them feel worse. Some people even feel driven to take "study drugs" because they need to "up their grade in math." Do we really want to create a culture dependent on drugs for success?
Anyways, those are a few reasons why I think grades can be a frustrating part of high school. It can be a struggle to keep that original motivation. That original drive. That original awe of the world around you and your drive to do something awesome.
- Waiting for the other (not A grade) students to understand what's going on, which would probably take the whole period.
- Wasting 45 minutes on something that I could've learned on Khan Academy for 7 minutes.
- Knowing that instead of spending 45 minutes watching other students trying to understand the same thing over and over again I could be watching an online Harvard course on Algorithms and other complex subjects that I'm actually interested in and have fun watching.
Another TED talk about this subject is: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com
