Do you know how to address an envelope properly to send a letter? Do you know how to do your own taxes? Can you manage your own bank account? All these are simple tasks of the real world that in just a few short weeks us seniors will be entering. Has our four years of High School really prepared us for what’s to come when we leave and go to college, or has it merely just scraped the surface? I understand that we have to have face-to-face experiences with teachers as well as learn the general basics of math, language arts, and science, but we haven’t been given the chance to get out there and get first hand experience and jobs that better prepare us for what to expect when we enter into adult life.

Having many friends that have moved on to college come back for breaks and explain how college is nothing like high school is quiet scary. Knowing that yes, High School has prepared us for the academic aspect, but not the everyday life part. During the school day, our time and every movement is being micromanaged. We can’t even go to the bathroom without asking; this is not helping prepare us nearly enough for the environment of the college lifestyle, where you have maybe two three classes in a day with no teachers or administration reminding you to do your work or emailing your parents about attendance. In the “adult” world, it is all up to you on the decisions you make.  Some may say that since we’re being micromanaged so much that when we have the opportunity to control our own schedules we might not do it in the right way, since we’ve never had the chance to before. I believe that Seniors should have the option of having half days and still receive credit for a full day, to acquire and obtain a steady job to not only gain experience and learn from the real world, but also earn and save up money for college.

Senior Carole De La Fuente was able to rearrange her schedule so that she only attends school every other day. This has allowed her to maintain a steady job where she not only earns money, but learns certain things about herself as well as life that no teacher or classroom could ever give her. “Having a whole day off from school to work has taught me time management, responsibility, and independence. In my time at Air Academy High School, I was never taught these three things and I’m super grateful for the values of having a job has given me to prepare me for the real world.” Carole couldn’t have said it any better; students rely so much on the daily schedule of school and teachers as well as parents heckling them about getting things done that when they’re on their own it can be difficult for them. If the school gave Seniors the ability to obtain real world experience, while still getting school credit, the success rate that students would have after they’re on their own for college would be significantly higher. As much as we need to have basic knowledge about math, we need the basic knowledge of how the world works more, plain and simple.