While freshman year may be filled with fears of upperclassmen and finding the right group to sit with at lunch, sophomore year presents its own obstacles and challenges to students. After one year of experiencing the high school atmosphere, the sophomore class must adjust to new schedules in addition to the stress of homework.
Although students receive homework on a daily basis, others partake in more difficult courses such as Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. At the end of the school year, AP students must take the AP exam to assess their knowledge.
Buchanan High School sophomore Jordan Hernon decided to take AP World History in hopes of receiving college credit, along with improving her skills as a student. According to Hernon, taking these classes requires students to put more effort and time into their assignments. Looking back on freshman year, Hernon says the homework load has tremendously increased this year, creating more hours of work.
“Sophomore year is a lot harder because you have to study a lot more, since the work is harder and there’s a lot of it; it’s not something you can do fast,” Hernon said. “If I start something, I have to finish it in one sitting. I can’t start and then stop halfway through, or else it won’t get finished. My problem is just sticking with it and reminding myself that eventually I will accomplish everything.”
After attending FC in junior high, sophomore Abby Igot now attends University High School, where she claims that the homework load and responsibility involved have greatly increased since freshman year.
“I have about 5-6 hours of homework every night, depending on the day,” Igot said. “The homework load is a big jump from freshman year to sophomore year. There’s a lot of things to do, and you’re responsible to keep up with studying for tests and turning in a written paper the next day. It’s a lot more responsibility and less hours of sleep.”
Sophomore Brandon McCormick, who tooke Algebra I Honors freshman year, chose to continue with the challenge of an Honors math course. With the additional work expected, McCormick says he only spends about an hour and a half on homework, depending on the day’s assignments.
“Overall, I’m really determined when doing homework and try my hardest to complete assignments,” McCormick said. “I get frustrated sometimes when I’m unable to figure out how to do something, but then I go to friends for help. The way I look at it is, the more challenging, the better it makes me as a student.”
Even though many students willingly take classes that are not required, others still maintain a normal schedule. As one not taking any Honors or AP classes, Clovis East High School sophomore Nathan Young feels that the new school year is less stressful.
“It seems easier because freshman year was harder and because it was the first year of high school,” Young said. “I wasn’t used to the amount of homework and harder things to deal with, so I studied more to keep my grades up. This year I just study and am able to keep up with assignments.”
Apart from taking Honors English freshman year, Clovis High School sophomore Morgan Bethea expands her academic horizons by taking AP European History, Honors Advanced Math and Honors Chemistry. Though the work is challenging, she claims that the feeling of success outweighs any stress of homework.
“I have at least double the homework of freshman year,” Bethea said. “It requires a lot of work and a lot of reading and writing. I have to prioritize and do what is most important first, while weighing the value of time I would spend doing it. Thinking about the success I have had already motivates me to live up to even higher expectations, and helps me remember the feeling when it’s done.”
For more information on academics, read the March 22 article, Research paper presents sophomore rite-of-passage or the Jan. 14, 2009 article, Freshmen survive homework load, first semester stress.
Julianne King • Sep 7, 2011 at 12:02 am
When was I dancing? I must have quickly broken out spontaneously right before we started because I really don’t remember this. Victoria is just like, “What is this crazy girl doing?”
Victoria Hindes • Sep 7, 2011 at 12:02 am
You make me laugh all the time in P.E. class.
Brooke Stobbe • Sep 7, 2011 at 12:02 am
I just wish she used those moves in a REAL soccer game….