Throughout my four years at Hillcrest, I’ve taken a wide variety of AP classes adding up to seven—these range from AP Biology to even AP Art. There are endless possibilities for AP classes that can help not only your High School academics but even your college. Counselors always recommend the higher-ranked students to take these as they are most likely to succeed, which honestly is true. They’ll always foreshadow the classes saying they are “kinda difficult” when it’s way worse than you expect.
For example, when I first stepped into AP Biology in my junior year, I was excited and looking forward to expanding my knowledge in life science. But 2-3 days into the first semester, we were already hit with packets with large amounts of information. Not only that when I also had AP Language and Composition, it became quite a difficult challenge to keep up with the hours of work added on top of my other classes. My other classmates though had worse experiences on the other hand. Some had full schedules packed with AP classes from first period to seventh. They would continuously speak on the impact it had on their minds and it had grown greatly overwhelming as the work just piled rapidly onto each other. From their continuous warnings, I should have listened when it came to my senior year.
As I began my senior year of high school, I had a total of 8 different classes, seven of which were AP and the eighth being an Honors. I have to wake up at a staggering five o’clock to even make it to my first and second period on time at seven, not to mention it being at a different school within the district. I then returned to Hillcrest and continued with classes that many students wouldn’t even dare to look in the direction of (AP Calculus AB). With the stockpiles of work that I receive daily, it’s hard to not fall behind, and I’ll admit that I have.
The constant strain of having to manage schoolwork, a job, a sport, and senior finances can take a drastic toll on a person’s mental health. Having a routine that you can keep up with, and people around you who support you are ultimately the strategy for staying sane with the struggles of AP classes. If you are reading this passage, the key advice is don’t overwork yourself and keep up with your mental and physical health.
