PRO Column

As a 17-year-old male, I know that next year I am required to sign up for selective services. This is a universal experience for American Men between 18-25 years old. It is not only part of becoming an adult,  but it is also a scary thought. Even though there is no draft at the moment, But a future war could mean I could be on the frontlines in less than a year. Yet even though I’ll be able to go die in a trench on the frontlines. I will not be able to drink a beer or buy a cigarette. This is much different from 40 years ago when the military was putting cigarettes in the MREs or on base underage drinking. It’s not to say the country was perfect 40 years ago far from it. The point is that it has worked in the past. I can get married, buy a house, and start a family, but I can’t drink a  beer. The number of responsibilities entrusted to 18-year-olds is massive. So why limit something if it can be harmful, there are other things an 18-year-old can hurt their body. Most of these privileges are intrusted as privileges and they are expected to make the right decision.

Personal experence

Never would I thought I would be in the land of corn and Hawkeyes. Moving across the country, even though it was not what I wanted. I knew it would be for the best. After packing up everything we wanted from the house and stuffing it in the truck or U-haul; we started. The Land of flatlanders and soybeans, living in the mountains all your life Iowa has a lot of different things. Even though this move was hard, I believe that it was good for a couple of reasons. I was thinking about this on the long 28-hour drive through the Midwest and America’s Heartland. This was going to be a new start not only for me but for my whole family. It was going to make me better with people because I had to form new relationships. This overall was going to be a challenge that I was willing to accept. I was excited about new experiences like football and the long summers. The Vermont summers were warm but not hot. The type of weather you could wear a hoodie at night most of the time. It had its own signs of summer such as the peepers in any bodies of water. Coming to Iowa was a shock. The humidity was nothing I had experienced before for an extended period of time. All of this would be part of my challenge of adapting. 

                        Now I love summers even though the humidity is sometimes unbearable. I do miss the sound of the peepers but not I am greeted to summer by the sound of the cictas. This move gave me a second chance. I went from hating the sweltering humid summers of the Midwest to embracing the heat and moisture. The little things you wouldn’t think you would grow to enjoy are some of the things I enjoy most. Adjusting to everything is easier because I had to make such a huge adjustment already. It was the challenge that made me a stronger person. Not only for change but for everything. It made me enjoy the small details all around me. Whether that’s the peepers in the Vermont ponds or the cicas in the midwestern grass. I enjoy the small details, the little things in life.   

What is High School is like in 2023

High School is not the same as movies and tv portray it. It is far more unique and complicated. Even though in the media it’s often dramatized,  High School is way more difficult in reality. Even though there are problems and cliches, there isn’t always a happy ending. There are problems people have to deal with far deeper than any media can portray.  High School is social as much as it is academic. The social skills developed in high school will remain a huge part of adults’ lives. Building relationships and working together. Learning through not only school projects but also human interactions. It’s important to build these things before getting into the world on your own.  One of the most important parts of High School is spending time with other people outside of school and learning to maintain friendships.  It’s these activities shape the rest of the lives of the teens. People are who they are based on experiences, good or bad. 

   High School is also about time management. Learning to balance school work and activities with social things outside of school. Whether that’s sports and academics or spending time with friends.