There are a lot of students who would like to finish high school as soon as possible, while there are many other star students who do not necessarily enjoy high school, but would like to make the most of it.

Things like prom, school dances and extracurricular activities like sports or clubs are popular among many students.

As a high school student myself, I am not as interested in those things. I do not enjoy my schoolwork or waking up early. I do not play any sports or am involved in any clubs. 

There are many other opportunities to choose from to get away from these troubles.

Not many people graduate early, but it is possible. It usually takes two years in advance in preparation if this is a student’s goal. 

So, that would mean having to understand what they would want for their future at such a young age. That is not easy for a young student to know.

My goal this year as a junior is to graduate.

I had no idea what I wanted to do two years ago and did not even know early graduation was an option.

I figured out a year ago I wanted to graduate early as a sophomore. I had little time to take on extra classes and make plans on what I needed to do to make it happen.

I talked it through with my counselor, and we came up with a plan. Unfortunately, the plan did not match up to exactly what I wanted. 

Instead of graduating a year early, the only way was to graduate half a year early.

I would be taking classes at school as well as online and during the summer. I was told it would be ambitious, but it is possible.

I was a little disappointed and wished there was another option so I could graduate early. Luckily, I was able to do so. 

Online school is not for a lot of people. Many feel isolated or need social interaction with other students their age every day.

Almost all online schools are self-paced, which means students can finish their year as early as a few months.

As someone who does not need social interaction every day and is not a part of many school activities, I have decided to go online.

While some might think online school is an easy way out, it might not be as easy as it seems.

Online school takes time, self-discipline and effort. Since it is self-paced, that means students have to be on top of their schoolwork and it depends on them whether they finish their work or not.

Dustin Frank, an assistant principal, believes students who switch to online school may see positives or negatives. 

“I think every student is different, and some can benefit from being online, and some can benefit from being in public school,” said Frank, “There are a lot of things students can do being in school that they can’t while being online, like extracurricular activities, being around peers and having those friendships. I think many students want to feel connected to something and have that sense of belonging and it’s good to focus on those things.”

While this might be true for many students, I know that this is not the case for me as I have done online before and for many students, like me, it is a better option.

I think it all depends on what type of student someone is and their personal needs.

Kim Suko, a counselor at Lakeland High School believes it could be a better fit for some students.

“I think it is a positive to have a choice about your education and what works best to fit your needs and learning style,” Suko said. “Over the years, I have had students choose online learning for a variety of personal, academic, medical, and mental health reasons. Some students love the flexibility and self-pacing that online learning provides.” 

It all depends on the student. There are many great things about public school and experiencing their senior year and the things that come with it. 

Along with online learning, students get to do things at their own pace without worrying about social interactions.

While things like early graduation and online school are not very common or the best fit for people, they can also be something great for students.