Josi Mabry's First Essay

Josefine Mabry

Nancy Cook

Writing 122

21 October 2013

Dropout, Cop-out?

Dropping out of high school is an issue many American teens face every day.  Some drop out because they need to work, others because of pregnancies, even others do it simply because they don't like high school.  If I had to choose a reason why I first considered dropping out of high school it would have to be that it simply didn't fulfill my desire for learning and my need to expand.  It felt like I was in a cage.  I found myself not interested in classes and not wanting to go to school.  I had known most of my classmates my whole life and wanted to meet new people.  I talked to my counselors and they suggested I take a class or two at Clatsop Community College.  I've decided to continue taking classes at Clatsop, but the issue of dropping out is still on my mind.  I considered dropping out to give myself more time outside of school, perhaps to get a job, pursue my hobbies such as photography, or allow more time to be together with my family.  However, I've decided I would rather continue my education at both schools.  Although dropping out of high school would allow me to focus more on college, I am going to continue dual enrollment because the high school provides extracurricular activities, gives me resources to prepare for college, and keeps me connected with my peers.

I am very active, and I find that the best way to make new friends is through mutual interests.  I have met some of my best friends through high school sports.  Some experiences have to be lived to understand them. I remember when I scored the soccer goal that won the game or when I lost one cleat on the bus and there was a team-wide search to help me find it.  Those are things that I would miss if I dropped out of high school.  Although I enjoy sports through the high school, I do a lot of activities outside of the school system.  I ran a half-marathon with my mother last spring, and this year I’m not sure if I will have sufficient time to train for another one.  Photography is another one of my passions.  I love taking pictures, and lately I’ve found that I don’t have enough time to go exploring for the perfect shot.  Dropping out of high school would give me more time to myself, which is an important part in my process of discovering myself.  However, there are fun activities that I only developed an interest in because I found them through the high school.  I am  involved in a lot of clubs which I enjoy very much.  They range from the French Club, to the Thespians.  My involvement in French inspired me to study abroad over the summer, and it was an experience I will never forget.  I never would have thought to go to France to study, but I've found my horizons broadened and I don't regret a single minute of it.  The Thespian club is taking a trip to Ashland this spring, and if I drop out then I wouldn't be able to watch Shakespeare's plays live at one of the biggest Shakespeare festivals in the world.  These clubs and activities have all helped me discover myself and what I'm interested in, and I'm not done discovering, not for a long time.

Not only does the high school offer opportunities for me right now, but it offers help in planning for the future.  The high school provides students with opportunities to visit colleges, and it also offers informational meetings from colleges that visit the high school.  I plan on going to a four year university after I graduate, so I try to take advantage of the visits as often as I can.  The counselors at the high school help make all of that possible, and in fact it was a high school counselor that originally recommended that I take some classes at Clatsop.  I really prefer the college atmosphere to that of the high school.  I can choose classes that interest me, and it has increased my desire for learning, not only within the college, but at the high school as well.  If I dropped out of high school, then I could increase the number of classes I could take at Clatsop, and focus on what interests me most.  Although dropping out would make taking more classes easier in regards to time, it would actually increase my current costs of going to the college.  The high school not only allows, but even encourages students to take more classes at the college.  Through a grant, the high school helps pay for some of my costs, which is covering most of my tuition this term.  If I wasn't a high school student then I would have to pay for those costs myself, so having the high school pay for some of it really helps.

Although sometimes they can be a little annoying, I really do enjoy the company of my peers.  They're my generation.  By having similar experiences, on a certain level, we understand each other.  We were raised with the Internet, we grew up with the evolution of cell phones, and, no matter who they are, everyone at my school remembers the best TV shows from the nineties.  These are experiences other generations don't understand.  Originally part of the reason why I considered leaving the high school was because I was getting bored of my classmates.  Now that I have met new people through the college, and am able to take classes apart from high school students, I find that I value their presence and our similarities more.  My mother dropped out of high school, or rather the equivalent to high school, when she was growing up in Germany.  She took a couple of years off and then went on to get her GED and then a Master’s degree.  Speaking from experience she recommends I stay in school.  She said that when she left her school she lost her social network, and with it a sense of belonging.  Most of my best friends go to the high school, and that is how I stay connected.  We share experiences in class,  talk about our teachers, and help each other with homework.  If I decided to drop out, then I wouldn't see many of my friends at all.  Attending high school is the only thing we do in common.

Having decided to take both college and high school classes, I know that I will be busy and sacrifice a lot of my time to school, but I feel it's worth it.  I would never give up the company of my friends, or the great opportunities such as clubs or field trips to universities.  I have always been encouraged to do what I love and what interests me, and I always encourage others to do the same.  Few good things in life come without sacrifices, and it's important to know which are worth sacrificing for.  To stay happy and fulfilled I am willing to make certain sacrifices concerning my time, but not my friendships and opportunities obtained through the high school.