Friday Night- the bleachers swell over, full of the AHS student body chanting the dance team’s new mantras. The next day, students spend their downtime hanging out with friends, representing AHS in their respective sport, or -maybe not so much anymore- in someone’s busy basement, socializing covertly. However, when Sunday rolls around, the group chat quickly mutes to the suggestion of a ski day, hike, or even just a relaxing movie. The “sorry I gotta grind” and the subsequent “^^^” texts begin to flood in. 

Though it is difficult to find time to balance extracurriculars and the excessive amount of homework AHS smothers its students with, enjoying high school is just as imperative as earning good grades. With rigorous IB courses and a highly academic student body, the social, emotional, and mental health of students is an extensive discussion at AHS. Fortunately, the SEE curriculum completes a crucial task: teaching and emphasizing the importance of students’ psychological well-being. However, how many of these lessons are actually absorbed by students? Especially this school year, AHS students appear exceptionally stressed from the weight of their classes’ workload. Though this stress may be self-induced by poor time-management or procrastination, it is important to acknowledge the school’s contributions to this stress and consider actions teachers can take to help students minimize this burden. 

AHS students and Aspenites often take for granted the pristine beauty surrounding the high school. High school students, no longer as naive and complacent as their middle school counterparts are given much more freedom, presenting them with a very unique privilege to explore these illustrious mountains for themselves. High school, in general, is an extraordinary time. Students are bestowed four years without any legitimate responsibilities. Four years to spend and become friends with people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests, and four years to discover who they are as a person and what they want in life- a daunting concept. However, highschool’s ferocity is avoidable. The most students can do is try to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. 

So, next time the group chat or a friend proposes a fun venture, say yes and find another time to complete your math problem set. Enjoy your time in Aspen surrounded by friends and family while it is still available. Go take a hike, ski with your friends, or climb one of our remarkable mountains with your family. After all, no one ever found themselves reading a history textbook- unless maybe they did.