Ah yes, a tenth grader. Not as naïve as a freshman, not as stressed as a junior, and clearly has more braincells than the entirety of the Class of 2021 (I’m looking at you, Newspaper Team). I don’t speak for the entire Class of 2023, but I would say that being a 10th grader isn’t that bad. For starters, you don’t have to pay attention to colleges much and you don’t have to take the SAT yet. You can ask for advice from one of the upperclassmen and people don’t expect as much from you compared to the high standards of a junior or senior. You’re already familiar with how high school works, unlike some of the freshmen who are still learning. This leads us to the big question: How unproblematic is the life of a 10th grader? How stressful or easy is life for a 10th grader? As a 15-year-old, lighthearted sophomore, let me indulge you in how my usual school routine works, quarantine version, of course.

Waking Up: I set my alarm clock for 6:45 am, but I rarely get out of bed at that time. I’ll hit “snooze” for a while until it’s 7:15. I hesitantly get out of my bed and head toward the bathroom to get ready. On even block days, my first class will start at 8:00 and on odd block days, my first class will start at 9:00.

Breakfast: Considering that I’m writing this on an odd block day, let’s say my first period starts at 9:00, and I’m usually ready by 7:20 or 7:30. I’ll be on my phone for a little bit before I head downstairs to make breakfast, which usually consists of a bagel and Nutella. Once I have consumed my nutrients and drank some delicious H2O, I go back to my room and sit in front of my laptop. It’ll be around 7:50 at this point and as you can see, I like to take my time when I have time, much to Mother Dearest’s dismay.

School: Now, since I have an hour left, I’ll be doing some homework or watching YouTube as I wait for the clock to strike 9:00. Once it is 9:00 A.M., I’ll open the Google Meets link for my math class and continue on with the rest of my school day.

After-school: After a day of education, it’s time for me to sit down, grab a snack, and listen to music, preferably lofi. On some occasions, I’ll watch Netflix or YouTube, maybe even Twitch. An hour after school’s over, I start on my homework, usually math. At 6:00 P.M., I go out for my daily run. I like to go at this time because the sun sets around this time, and it’s not too dark or too bright.

As you can see, it’s a pretty simple routine, but of course, some days can be a little overwhelming, which is why it’s always important to take a step back and chill for a little bit or else you’ll burn yourself out. Some days, I feel less motivated, which results in me not putting much effort into my work, which is okay because it happens. Coming from someone who constantly ends up burned out, always remember to let some of your feelings out through a positive way. Those bottled feelings will end up hurting you and others if not properly taken care of. It’s okay to have emotions; it’s what makes you human. With that being said, take care, Knights,  and remember to be extraordinary.